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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



A Thousand Health Questions 
Answered 



IV * 



Copyright 1917 

BY 

J. H. KELLOGG 



/ 

OCT 18 1317 



./v* 



Foreword 



For forty years, the writer of this volume has 
each week stood before an audience of invalids 
at the Battle Creek Sanitarium to open a popular 
question box. During the same period the writer 
has supplied each month to his journal, Good 
Health, several columns of answers to corres- 
pondents. Out of the seventy or eighty thousand 
questions which have been thus dealt with some- 
thing more than a thousand have been ^elected, 
which, with their answers, constitute this volume. 
The reader will naturally expect to find the sub- 
ject matter of this book highly practical in char- 
acter, and in this we are confident he will not be 
disappointed. It is also believed that the range 
of topics considered is sufficiently large to cover 
in a fairly comprehensive way the whole subject 
of practical hygiene, as related to the home and 
individual. 

Any reader who, in consulting this volume, is 
disappointed in not finding an answer to the 
question in which he is especially interested, is 
hereby cordially invited to ask the question in a 



6 FOREWORD 

letter addressed to the author or the publishers 
who will at once endeavor to find the answer 
and communicate it to the questioner, and will 
incorporate the question, if of general interest, 
in the next edition of the work, or another 
volume of similar character. 



Contents 





PAl 


Foreword .... 


9 


Care of Children .... 


11 


Foot Troubles .... 


. 40 


Skin Ailments .... 


47 


Sleep . . . ... 


. 71 


Nerves ..... 


86 


Rheumatism .... 


. 129 


Cancer ..... 


137 


Miscellaneous Questions . 


. 142 


The Blood and Blood Vessels 


226 


Obesity ..... 


. 250 


Bowel Disorders .... 


266 


The Kidney and Its Disorders . 


. 323 


The Liver and Gall Bladder . 


333 


Digestive Disorders . 


. 349 



8 CONTENTS 

PAGE 

The Thyroid Gland .... 370 

Tuberculosis ...... 372 

Catarrh, Colds, Deafness . . . 379 

The Teeth 396 

Remedies ...... 405 

Relief of Pain 449 

Stimulants and Narcotics . . . 458 

Clothing 479 

Exercise ...... 483 

Race Statistics 496 

Measurements and Strength of Body . 504 
General Hygiene . . . . .518 

Dietetics ...... 532 

Food and Food Values .... 587 

Beverages ...... 664 

Meat 680 

Milk ....... 700 

Eggs 709 

Digestion . . . . . . 737 



A Thousand Health Questions 
Answered 



Care of Children 

Artificial Feeding Schedule 

Q. What is the best plan for artificial 
feeding of infants? 

A. Recent experience in both this country 
and Europe justifies the claim that the following 
simple plan of artificial feeding may be relied 
upon as best for the infant as well as the simplest, 
least expensive, and least troublesome to the 
mother, and hence most practical for general 
use: 

Feeding Schedule 

During the first year: Number of feedings in 
twenty- four hours, first month, 8 ; second month 
6; after second month, 5. 

Milk Mixtures: First month, one-third milk, 
two-thirds water, with two ounces malt sugar 
to the quart. One ounce gives 14 calories. 

Second to sixth months, half water, half milk, 
with two ounces of malt sugar to the quart. One 
ounce gives 17 calories. 

Third quarter — 7th to 9th months — use two- 
thirds milk, one-third water, two ounces of malt 
sugar to the quart. One ounce gives 21 calories. 



12 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Fourth quarter — 10th to 12th months — use 
full milk with addition of two ounces of malt 
sugar to the quart. One ounce gives 25 calor- 
ies. 

Amt. of No. of Amt. of Calories 
Age Weight Food Feedings Feeding Daily 

Birth 7 lbs. 20 oz. 8 2^ oz. 350 

1 mo. 9 lbs. 24 oz. 6 4 oz. 400 

2 mo. 10 1 A lbs. 28 oz. 5 5 l / 2 oz. 475 

3 mo. 12 lbs. 30 oz. 5 6 oz. 510 

4 mo. 13 *lbs. 32 oz. 5 6 l / 2 oz. 545 

5 mo. 14 lbs. 34 oz. 5 7 oz. 575 

6 mo. 15 lbs. 36 oz. 5 7*4 oz. 612 

7 mo. 16 lbs. 32 oz. 5 6^ oz. 640 

8 mo. 17 lbs. 33 oz. 5 7 l / 2 oz. 660 

9 mo. 18 lbs. 34 oz. 5 8 oz. 680 

10 mo. 19 lbs. 28 oz. 5 5 2 / 3 oz. 700 

11 mo. 20 lbs. 29 oz. 5 5% oz. 'Ul 

12 mo. 21 lbs. 30 oz. 5 6 oz. 750 

Infants under one year should not take more 
than 32 to 36 ounces of food. In changing to 
stronger diet, that is from half milk to two- 
thirds milk, or two-thirds milk to full milk, the 
quantity should be reduced at first. After the 
child weighs eight pounds, the amount may be 
increased one ounce of the full milk mixture for 
every six ounces that he gains in weight. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 13 

Bottle Fed Babies 

Q. Why are so many infants bottle fed? 

A. The manufacture and sale of "baby 
foods" has developed into an enormous in- 
dustry within the last 50 years. The maternal 
fount is drying up. 

According to Holt, "In New York, at least 
three children out of every four born into the 
homes of well-to-do classes must be fed at some 
other fount than the maternal breast." A pro- 
fessor of entomology, of the University of Cali- 
fornia, finds an analogy between the human race 
and bees, ants and some other insects. He in- 
sists that the increasing number of women who 
have lost both the instinct and the capacity for 
motherhood is evidence that there is developing 
in the human race a neuter type corresponding 
to the worker class among bees and ants. In 
certain parts of the United States the decay of 
the native population as shown by diminished 
fertility is far advanced. For example, among 
native-born New England wives the average 
number of children is only 2.7, while foreign- 
born wives living in the same communities have 
an average of 4.4 children. 



14 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Infants' Stools 

Q. What should be the appearance of the 
stools of a young infant? 

A. The color of normal stools from chil- 
dren fed on cow's milk is yellow, but not so 
bright a yellow as the stools of the breast-fed 
child; on standing exposed to the air, they turn 
nearly white or greyish-yellow. If carbohy- 
drates, gruels, replace cow's milk as food, the yel- 
low colour of the stools is more intense. 

Lime Water in Milk 

Q. Is the addition of lime water to milk 
beneficial in feeding infants? 

A. The idea seems to be current that lime 
water used in cow's milk is a valuable addition 
to the baby's diet, and will prevent rickets. The 
impression holds that the baby is going to get 
needed lime out of the lime water. 

People who entertain this notion are entirely 
oblivious of the fact that milk itself contains 
more lime than does lime water. This lime 
is held in solution by the casein of the milk. 
Another important difference is this, that the 
lime of the milk is organic lime, organized lime, 
lime that is ready to be assimilated, whereas the 
lime in the lime water is dead lime, mineral lime. 
There is abundant evidence that this mineral 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 15 

matter can not be assimilated by the body, and 
very little of it can be used. 

Nor is this all. The lime water may do harm. 
Lime is an alkali ; it neutralizes the hydrochloric 
acid of the gastric juice, and so injures digestion. 
There is already too much lime in cow's milk 
for the baby's needs. The milk of various spe- 
cies of animals is adapted to those animals, and 
the amount of lime in the milk depends on the 
rate at which the young animal grows. A calf 
will double its weight in six or eight weeks, but 
a baby requires five or six times as long to double 
its weight, so the calf requires four or five times 
as much lime. 

Other animals — dogs and rabbits, for example 
— that double their weight very rapidly have as 
high as one hundred times as much lime as there 
is found in the normal food of the baby. Babies 
grow very slowly, and consequently they need 
but little lime. Mother's milk contains only three 
grains of lime to the pint, instead of twenty- 
six, as in cow's milk. 

Milk in its ordinary state needs dilution for the 
baby. The only real value of lime water is to 
dilute the milk and this is far better done by the 
use of pure boiled water, or by the use of very 
thin, well boiled and strained barley or oatmeal 
gruel. 



16 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Fruit for Children 

Q. May fruit be given to little children? 

A. The juice of any ripe fruit may be given 
to children after six months. The idea that fruit 
is dangerous for young children is a most mis- 
chievous error. Great care must be taken that 
the fruit is thoroughly ripe. In case of very 
young children who have no teeth, and who 
have not yet learned to masticate their food 
thoroughly, only the juice should be given. Older 
children who have teeth may take fruit as freely 
as adults without injury. Fruits have a bene- 
ficial laxative tendency. 

Diet for Teething Child 

Q. Suggest a good diet for a teething 
child. 

A. If teething begins while the baby is still 
feeding from the breast, no other food than 
mother's milk is required. At ten months the 
normal child has six teeth. 

It is highly important that the food should at 
all times contain an abundance of lime. 

After weaning, food which is rich in lime 
should be taken at every meal. Greens and root 
vegetables finely mashed or in the form of puree 
should be freely used. Fine flour bread should 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 17 

be avoided. Malt sugar should be used instead 
of cane. Care should be taken that the bowels 
move three or four times a day. 

Teething 

Q. Since teething is a natural process why 
do derangements of digestion so commonly ac- 
company it? 

A. It is most unfortunate that mothers are not 
better informed. Very many have heard that 
diarrhea, mucous discharges and other bowel 
troubles are inevitable results of dentition and 
supposing they will cease when the teeth are 
through give the matter little concern, unless it 
assumes so grave a form as to be alarming. 
Even then the fact that the child is teething 
serves as an apology for its serious condition. 

Every one who has the care of an infant should 
understand that teething is a normal process and 
not a disease, that it is not needful for the 
bowels to be out of order and loose when the 
child is teething, and that bowel disorders of 
infancy are usually the result of taking spoiled 
or unclean food, too much food, meat, or food 
in lumps that the child cannot masticate. 

Teething is not of itself a potent cause of dis- 
ease; while it may intensify the effects of bad 
food, bad water, foul air, extremes of heat and 
cold, and the like, yet these causes are responsible 



18 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

for the mortality of infants at the teething period 
as well as at every other age. This is an important 
fact to remember, as these conditions are all more 
or less preventable. 

% Weaning 

Q. At what age should an infant be 
weaned? 

A. Nine to ten months. 

When to Vary an Infant's Food 

Q. When may food properly be given in 
connection with the mother's milk? 

A. A moderate amount of prune juice or 
orange juice diluted with boiled water may be 
given to a six months' old baby. To a baby who 
is well nourished and thriving on mother's milk, 
absolutely no other food should be given but 
strained fresh fruit juices until after the child is 
weaned. 

How Much Should a Child Eat? 

Q. How many calories should a child 
weighing eighteen pounds take daily? 

A. A child must have not less than fifty 
calories per kilogram of the body weight. We 
will say twenty-five calories to the pound of body 
weight. This is the minimum for growth. The 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 19 

child really needs more than that. A child weigh- 
ing eighteen pounds ought to eat about six to 
eight hundred calories a day. 

First Food for Babies 

Q. What is the best cereal food for a baby 
beginning its second year, and that is being 
weaned from a malt sugar formula? 

A. Rice gruel, potato gruel, and wheat meal 
gruel are the best farinaceous foods for an in- 
fant. The diet should never be confined to 
cereals, as this class of foodstuffs is deficient in 
alkaline salts, which are quite essential for grow- 
ing infants. 

Diet for Child of Two Years 

Q. What is the best diet for a two year old 
child? 

A. Fresh fruits, stewed fruits, purees of 
vegetables and cereal foods are suited to the 
child's wants and with milk and cream are cap- 
able of supplying all its nutritive needs. The 
best cereal preparations are wheat flakes, 
shredded wheat biscuit, oatmeal, cracked wheat 
and graham bread. Potato and other vege- 
table purees, and purees of fresh or stewed fruit 
should also constitute a considerable part of the 
dietary. Malt Sugar should be used freely with 
cereals and fruits, but cane sugar should be 



20 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

avoided. It is an unwholesome sweet, even for 
adults in other than very small quantities, and 
often produces decidedly injurious and even 
poisonous effects in young children. 

Children should be taught to drink frequently. 
Three to four ounces of water should be given 
several times a day between meals. 

Most of the various popular infant foods are 
objectionable, as their exclusive use leads to 
rickets and malnutrition. 

jPastry, candies, ice cream and soda water 
drinks, should be avoided by young children. 

Tea, coffee, chocolate, and coca cola contain 
caffeine which is productive of great harm. A 
cup of coffee contains twice as much uric acid or 
its equivalent, as does the same amount of urine. 
These harmful drinks should never be given to 
children at any age. 

Children should be taught from the first to 
masticate their food thoroughly. This is highly 
important, as the habit of mastication formed in 
childhood is likely to be maintained throughout 
life. 

Regularity of meals is also highly important. 
Upon regularity of meals depends regularity of 
bowel action. Food is the natural laxative. When 
food is taken between meals or at irregular in- 
tervals, digestion becomes disturbed, normal 
bowel action is interrupted, and numerous evils 
result. It is especially important to avoid taking 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 21 

food at too frequent intervals. When food is 
received into a stomach which contains undi- 
gested food, serious indigestion is certain to re- 
sult. 

Shall Children Eat Meat 

Q. Should children be allowed to eat meat? 

A. Professor Sherman of Columbia Univer- 
sity, an able physiologist, several years ago called 
the attention of the profession to the fact that 
meat is lacking in lime salts, and consequently is 
not a suitable food for children. Professor 
Sherman's statements are based upon the results 
observed in experiments upon animals. His ob- 
servations fully confirm the views of Dr. Joseph 
Winters, an eminent physician, who a few years 
ago presented to the profession an able and in- 
teresting essay entitled "The Meat Habit in Chil- 
dren.'* Dr. Winters maintained that one of the 
most evil consequences of the early use of meat 
by children "is the loss of relish it creates for 
the physiological foods of childhood— milk, 
cereals^ and vegetables." Said Dr. Winters : 

"A child that is allowed a generous meat diet 
is certain to refuse cereals and vegetables. Meat, 
by its stimulating effect, produces a habit as 
surely as does alcohol, tea, or coffee, and a dis- 
taste for less satisfying foods. The foods which 
the meat-eating child eschews contain in large 
proportions certain mineral constituents which 



22 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

are essential to bodily nutrition and health, and 
without which the processes of fresh growth and 
development are stunted." 

Dr. Winters attributes to the use of meat many 
of the disorders to which children are subject, 
particularly incontinence of the urine, rheu- 
matism, chorea, rheumatic inflammation of the 
tonsils, night terrors, urticaria, anemia, convul- 
sions, and even epilepsy. 

Dr. Winters insists that "there is more so- 
called nervousness, anemia, rheumatism, valvular 
disease of the heart, and chorea at the present 
time in children from an excess of meat and its 
preparations in the diet than from all other causes 

combine d." 

Vomiting in Infants 

Q. How may one prevent a three months' 
old baby from vomiting its food very soon after 
eating? 

A. Those who handle the little one are often 
to blame for its misfortune. Tossing the baby 
up and down, jogging it upon the knee or plac- 
ing it over the shoulder and patting it upon the 
back just after its meal are abuses which con- 
duce to make it throw up its food. 

If a baby has a tendency to vomiting soon after 
eating, it should be allowed to remain quietly in 
a recumbent position for a time. 

More than likely the cause is a too large in- 
take of food, or too rapid feeding. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 23 

Diet for Nursing Mother 

Q What is the proper diet for a nursing 
mother? 

A. Nursing mothers should make free use of 
fruits and fresh vegetables, avoiding strongly 
flavored vegetables, such as onions and garlic. 
Tea, coffee, wine, beer, condiments, cocoa, pickles, 
rich gravies, sweet-breads, fish, and oysters 
should be altogether avoided by the mother. It is 
best also to avoid flesh meat. All kinds of meat 
foods are contaminated with bacteria and promote 
intestinal autointoxication, through which the in- 
fant as well as the mother may be poisoned. 

The diet should be bulky; that is, it should 
contain a large amount of indigestible residue. 
The best foods for bulk are lettuce, carrots, beets, 
greens, spinach, huckleberries, raspberries, 
prunes, figs, apples, apricots, graham bread, 
shredded wheat biscuit, wheat flakes, cracked 
wheat, rye bread, ripe olives, and bran. Oranges 
are excellent, and also fruit juices of all sorts, be- 
cause of the fruit sugar and acids which they 
contain. 

Care should be taken to keep the bowels freely 
open. They should move three or four times a 
day, or at least after every meal. If necessary, 
the enema should be used, employing one to 
three pints of water at a temperature of 80° F. 



24 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The amount of fat should be increased about 
twenty-five percent above that ordinarily re- 
quired. The amount of protein should be fifty 
per cent greater. A tablespoonful of bran should 
be taken at every meal. 

Certain foods tend to increase the flow of 
milk. This is particularly true of malt sugar, 
of the whole-grain cereals, cracked wheat, oat- 
meal, free water-drinking, and the free use of 
juicy fruits. Not less than three or four pints 
of water should be taken daily, in addition to the 
liquids taken with the meals. 

Cold Baths 

Q. To how young a child may cold baths 
be given? 

A. Babies should not be given very cold baths. 
Water at 90° F. is cold enough for a young 
baby. The temperature of an infant's bath 
should at first be about 100° F., since to its 
sensitive, velvety skin even this temperature will 
seem cool ; it should however be lowered five or 
ten degrees at its conclusion ; and the general 
temperature should be gradually lowered from 
week to* week until, when the child is six months 
old, water of 90° to 95° F. in winter and 85° F. in 
summer may be employed. With most children 
under four years it is well to begin the bath at 
about the temperature of the body if a tub bath is 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 25 

used, and at its close cool the water until the 
temperature is 80° or 85° F., or end the bath with 
a very short but not forcible spray of cool water. 
Children under seven do not well bear the 
application of very cold water. A temperature 
ranging between 70° and 80° F. will produce suf- 
ficiently strong impressions to develop a good 
reaction in children under seven years. An older 
child may enjoy a bath at lower temperature. 

The Pacifier 

Q. What harm can there be in the use of 
the "soother" if it is cleansed each time before 
being introduced into the baby's mouth? 

A. The "soother," "consolation nipple," or 
"pacifier," as it is variously termed, has long 
been conceded to be one of the most common 
means whereby harmful germs are introduced 
into the mouth of a child allowed to use it. 

The effects of the unnatural and prolonged 
sucking are different with different children, de- 
pending upon the way in which the child draws 
on the nipple. 

The worst effect that is laid at the door of 
the "consolation nipple" is the scourge of ade- 
noids that now assails almost all children in 
civilized countries. 

A series of experiments undertaken to seek 
out the causes of the prevalence of this disease 



26 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

resulted in the demonstration that the rubber 
nipple used as a pacifier is one of the most active 
causes of disease that modern children encounter. 

Outdoor Sleeping 

Q. How early in life may a winter baby 
sleep out of doors? 

A. The writer has known several instances 
in which babies two or three months old were 
placed to sleep several hours daily in the open 
air even in quite cold weather, not only without 
injury, but with much apparent benefit. 

Caution must, of course, be taken to wrap the 
little one so warmly with a light woolen blanket 
that he cannot possibly become chilled. In very 
cold weather the face may need a light covering 
with the exception of the nostrils, to which the 
fresh air should always have free access. The 
sleeping arrangements should be such as to fully 
protect from winds and stormy weather. A 
rather deep laundry basket well lined with warm 
blankets and placed in a sheltered position on a 
covered veranda serves well for an infants' bed 
for outdoor day time naps. The same serves well 
also for night sleeping. There should always be 
a conveniently accessible warm room to which the 
mother can remove the child for any attention 
needed during the night. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 27 

Thumb Sucking 

Q. Is thumb sucking harmful to a baby? 
If so how can it be prevented? 

A. This practice tends to produce certain de- 
formities of the teeth and jaws and perhaps still 
more serious injury. Various measures of pre- 
vention have been adopted. The hands may be 
encased in mitts. 

Still another method is to place a rather stiff 
bandage about the middle of the arm so as to 
make it impossible for the child to bend the el- 
bow sufficiently to reach the mouth. These re- 
stricting means ought not to be continued so 
long as to interfere with the proper development 
of the hands and arms. 

The Baby in Hot Weather 

Q. What is the best method of protecting 
a baby from the injurious effects of hot 
weather? 

A. Give him cool sponge baths or neutral 
baths. The child a year or more of age may 
be allowed short periods of play in the bath tub 
in water at a temperature of 94° F. Play things 
that float, basins with which he can dip water, 
etc., will make the time pass rapidly. 

Vary the amount and kind of his clothing co 
suit the temperature. 



28 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Give him plenty of fresh air night and day. 
However, don't compel him to lie all the time 
tightly bundled up in his cab among fluffy 
feather pillows. Provide him a comfortable 
mattress in some cool place where he can lie 
straight and stretch and kick at will. 

Protect him at all times from flies, mosquitoes 
and other tormenting insects, and from floor dust 
and dirt. 

Give him often a drink of cool water, from a 
source known to be pure or of water which has 
been freshly boiled, cooled and kept in a bottle. 

Have stated times for feeding and feed regu- 
larly, not whenever the baby cries. Avoid over- 
feeding, especially in hot weather. 

If not breast-fed, feed by schedule or quantity 
according to age, as directed by some competent 
authority. (See page 12). 

Use only certified or pasteurized milk and ex- 
ercise the greatest care as to cleanliness in every 
particular, and especially screen the food from 
dust and flies. Give orange juice daily. 

Discard pacifiers ; they are always a source of 
injury to the little one. 

Don't use soothing sy ups, or any patent 
nostrums. 

If the baby is ailing, call a trained nurse or 
physician to direct its care. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 29 

Effect on Children of Parents' 111 Health 

Q. Does the ill health of parents im- 
mediately affect their children? 

A. Modern biologic investigations have 
shown that heredity is not responsible for much 
that is charged to its account. Pinard, the 
eminent French gynecologist, investigated twenty- 
three cases of families in each of which there was 
a single idiot, imbecile, or degenerate child, with 
other healthy children. In twenty-two cases he 
was able to find a cause for the defective child 
in the illness shortly before conception of one or 
both parents from rheumatism, influenza, jaun- 
dice, gout, or typhoid fever. 

These facts emphasize anew the importance 
of applying to the human race, so far as possible, 
those great biologic facts and principles which 
have been found of such great xalue in the im- 
provement of breeds of horses, cows, and other 
domestic animals. The neglect of these laws is 
developing an increasing population of defectives. 
Lunatic and feeble-minded asylums are multiply- 
ing faster than the increase of population 
warrants. The race is ri deteriorating for lack of at- 
tention to the plainest teachings of science. The 
gospel of right living must be taught for the 
benefit of the unborn as well as of the living. 



30 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Mother's Mark 

Q. What can be done for the so-called 
mother's mark? 

A. These are of various kinds: 1. Raised 
brown spots, known as moles; 2. Brown spots 
producing hair; 3. A tumor composed of en- 
larged blood-vessels, constituting the true "port 
wine" or "mother's mark." These marks do not 
originate in ante-natal influences, as many per- 
sons suppose. Their origin is, however, obscure. 

Electrolysis, radium, and carbon dioxide ice, 
are all efficient measures for removing these 
blemishes. Carbon dioxide ice is the simplest 
and best means, but can only be applied by a 
physician who has the proper apparatus. The 
methods leave no scar. 

Hiccough in Children 

Q. What remedy should be adopted to cure 
a child two years of age hiccoughing? 

A. The cause of hiccough is gastric irritation. 
A hot fomentation over the stomach two or three 
times a day and the moist abdominal bandage 
worn day and night, will be found helpful. Care 
should be taken not to permit the baby to take its 
food too rapidly. Massage of the abdomen, 
especially in the region of the stomach, is help- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 31 

ful. Care to keep the bowels moving freely 
through the use of baked apple pulp, prunes, and 
orange juice, and malt sugar, is essential. 

Left- Handedness 

Q. What is the best method for correcting 
a decided tendency to left-handedness in a 
seventeen-months-old child? 

A. Care should be taken to cultivate the use 
of the right hand ; but it is possible that the child 
is organized in such a way that the left hand is 
capable of more perfect development than the 
right, in which case it would be an advantage to 
the child to be allowed to train the left hand. 
Life is not long enough for the equal training 
of both hands, hence we- are compelled to spe- 
cialize in relation to the hand, as well as in re- 
lation to occupation. 

Bed Wetting 

Q. What is the cause of bed wetting? Can 
it be cured? 

A. There is an irritable condition of the 
bladder or of the controlling nerve centers. 

For wetting the bed at night a great variety 
of remedies have been tried, most of which are 
of no value whatever. The most effective plan 
that can be pursued is to restrain the patient from 



32 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

eating or drinking for three or four hours be- 
fore retiring. An eminent physician has also 
suggested that the use of meat by children en- 
courages the habit. Whipping, scolding, and 
frightening children will do no good; in fact 
these measures are likely to do harm by creating 
a condition of the nervous system that will en- 
courage the very thing which is to be corrected. 

A short hot sitz bath taken at bedtime will be 
beneficial. In other cases, a short general cold 
bath, concluding with a dash of cold water upon 
the lower spine, is usually beneficial. Raising the 
foot of the bed eight to ten inches succeeds in 
some cases. 

Wearing a moist towel covered by a 
dry flannel bandage about the lower part of the 
bowels at night is a very useful measure. To pre- 
vent the patient from sleeping upon the back, a 
good remedy is to tie a knot in a towel and place 
it about the body in such a way that the knot will 
come at the center of the back. In cases in 
which the patient is old enough, and sufficiently 
intelligent to appreciate moral influence, he should 
be encouraged to try to overcome the habit. He 
may be given some simple prescription in which 
he should be taught to have perfect confidence 
as a certain cure, since faith will sometimes do 
much toward effecting a cure when other reme- 
dies fail. This difficulty usually disappears with 
the development of the child. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 33 

Worms 

Q. Are worms in children due to the hand- 
ling of dogs and cats? 

A. There is a certain species of worms that 
are contracted from dogs. Intestinal parasites 
much more generally come, however, from the 
use of flesh food, or of vegetables which have 
been contaminated. Lettuce, cabbage and turnips 
are particularly liable to be thus contaminated. 
All greens and salad vegetables used uncooked, 
should be very carefully washed and disinfected 
before serving by soaking five minutes in a 5 
per cent peroxide solution. 

Earache 

Q. How may the baby's earache be re- 
lieved? 

A. Slight attacks of earache may be promptly 
relieved by the application of heat. A rubber 
bag filled with water as hot as the hand can 
bear but not hot enough to burn, should be 
covered with a layer of flannel and held next to 
the ear for half hour or more at a time. If the 
child becomes restless the cause may be over- 
heating of the head. This difficulty may be over- 
come by applying a cold cheese cloth compress 
to the opposite side of the head. Consult a 
physician. 



34 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Whooping Cough 

Q. What is the cause of whooping cough? 

A. Whooping cough is due to a specific germ. 

The duration of the disease is somewhat in- 
definite. It usually lasts four to six weeks. It 
may become chronic and last much longer. 

It is very contagious. 

A child suffering from whooping cough should 
drink large quantities of water daily and should 
be constantly in the open air. 

Nervousness 

Q. Our little girl, seven years of age, con- 
tinually moves her nose and shoulders. At 
first we thought it a habit, but she seems un- 
able to overcome the difficulty. Kindly sug- 
gest a remedy. 

A. The child is probably suffering from 
chorea, or St. Vitus dance. The difficulty is 
usually curable. The child's general health 
should be improved by an outdoor life, an anti- 
toxic diet, and special attention to the bowels. 
Every possible cause for nervous irritation should 
be sought out and removed. A nerve specialist 
should be consulted. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 35 

Neurasthenia 

Q. Do children suffer from neurasthenia? 

A. Neurasthenia often begins in childhood. 
Multitudes of children are made neurasthenic by 
wrong methods in education, especially by the 
neglect of physical development, and by im- 
proper discipline in the school or in the home. 
Doubtless most of these young neurasthenics 
are predisposed to neuroses by heredity. The 
proportion of such children to the total school 
population is unquestionably increasing. 

In a school numbering six hundred pupils, 
thirty per cent showed symptoms of neurasthenia, 
such as persistent headache, insomnia, palpitation, 
sudden neuralgic pains, etc. 

A very significant fact is the increase of the 
proportion of neurasthenics with each advancing 
grade. In the classes of a secondary school the 
following proportion of neurasthenic children 
were found in the several grades : 

Preparatory class 8 per cent 

First class 15 per cent 

Second class 22 per cent 

Third class 28 per cent 

Fourth class 44 per cent 

Fifth class 47 per cent 

Sixth class 58 per cent 

Seventh class 64 per cent 

Eighth class 89 per cent 



36 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Remedy for Eczema 

Q. What is the remedy for eczema in in- 
fants? 

A. Eczema" is generally due to constipation, 
indigestion or colitis. First of all the diet of 
the child must be regulated so as to secure nor- 
mal digestion. The bowels should move at least 
three or four times a day. The bowels normally 
move after each feeding. In some cases cow's 
milk seems to be a cause of eczema in young 
children. In such cases the amount of milk in 
the diet should be diminished. In some cases it 
may be necessary to suspend milk feeding en- 
tirely for a few days substituting gruels and 
vegetable purees to which a little butter has been 
added. Malt sugar should be used to the ex- 
tent of one or two ounces daily. The irritation 
of the skin may be relieved by the use of lanoline 
cream. 

Cleft Palate 

Q. If a child is born with cleft palate, can 
it be cured, or remedied by operation? 

A. It can be greatly helped by an operation; 
perhaps entirely cured. 

It is just as well to wait until the child is six 
or eight years of age for such an operation. 

It is caused by deficient development, and if 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 37 

allowed to go without attention will affect the 
speech, and be a great handicap. 

Increasing a Child's Height 

Q. What will make a child grow taller? 

A. The child should exercise the legs par- 
ticularly. As much time as possible should be 
spent in the open air. One of the best exercises 
is swimming, which combines excellent move- 
ments of the arms and legs with the tonic effect 
of cold water. 

Chicken-pox 

Q. What treatment should be given for 
chicken-pox? 

A. This disease is rarely serious enough to 
require anything more than a spare but laxative 
diet of fruits and bran with such fresh foods as 
celery, lettuce and the juices of fruits, and free 
water-drinking. Take care to keep the bowels 
open, and avoid taking cold. If the temperature 
rises so high as to cause discomfort, one or two 
wet sheet packs will generally control it. A 
moist bandage worn around the abdomen, con- 
sisting of a towel wrung rather dry out of cold 
water, covered with one or two thicknesses of 
flannel is excellent treatment. 



38 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The Proper School Age 

Q. At what age should a child be sent to 
school? 

A. It depends upon the child, his health and 
mental and bodily development, and upon the 
school and its environments. No child ought to 
be deprived of ample opportunity for growth and 
health of body for the sake of mental culture 
in his early years. A sound body is the first 
consideration. 

With the school course of study for a guide, 
an apt mother can teach her boy in an hour or two 
a day what he would be a whole school day in 
acquiring under a teacher who has a roomful 
to attend to. 

The Cause of Colic 

Q. Why should a child of six weeks have 
colicky pains one or two hours daily? 

A. Probably there is something wrong with 
the mother's dietary. There may be some 
hereditary weakness of the stomach. It is likely 
the bowels are constipated. Children often have 
colic from over-feeding or taking nourishment 
too rapidly. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 39 

Hip Disease 

Q. What is the proper treatment for hip 
disease in boy ten years old? 

A. The boy should be put under the care of 
a reliable surgeon who has had experience in 
similar cases. Different stages of the disease 
require different treatment. In many cases rest 
in bed is necessary. A short, cold, rubbing bath 
of some sort should be administered twice daily. 
The application should be brief, the water quite 
cold. The best method is the cold mitten fric- 
tion, shower bath, or cold wet-hand rub. 

Enlarged Neck Glands 

Q. What causes enlarged glands in a child's 
neck? 

A. The usual cause is tuberculosis. In many 
instances the infection is derived from infected 
milk. Enlarged tonsils or adenoids may be the 
cause. 



Foot Troubles 

Sore Feet 

Q. What are the best means for preventing 
soreness of the feet due to walking? 

A. The British Red Cross Association has 
prepared the following excellent rules for the 
care of sore feet. 

1. Feet should be washed with soap and water, 
and very gently dried — not rubbed. 

2. Dab with methylated spirit on absorbent 
cotton, except where the skin is broken. 

3. When dry, dust with powder composed of 
equal parts of starch and boracic acid or 
fuller's earth. 

4. Bandage with clean bandage, not too tight — 
or else put on clean socks. All soiled socks 
should be washed and dried before use. 

5. Reddened skin or recent blisters should be 
protected by strips of strapping. 

6. All corns should be protected by strapping. 
Open sores require surgical advice, and this 
should be sought whenever possible, especially 
if the surrounding redness of the foot is ex- 
tending. 

7. Toenails should be cut short and square — 
not too short. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 41 

Flat Foot 

Q. Is there any cure for flat foot? 

A. Yes, if the defect is taken in hand early 
enough. The deformity is due to weakness of 
the muscles and ligaments which support the arch 
of the foot. These may be strengthened by 
walking on tiptoe with the heels turned slightly 
outward. 

In adults the only remedy is the wearing of 
a steel insole so shaped as to support the arch 
of the foot. 

Corns 

Q. How may corns on the soles of the feet 
be cured? 

A. Corns, or calluses, on the soles of the feet 
are often very painful, and occasion great in- 
convenience. If very tender and swollen, with 
redness of the tissues around about, the proper 
remedy is rest, lying in a horizontal position, ac- 
companied by proper use of poultices, until the 
soreness and irritation disappear. After the 
tenderness has subsided, a loose shoe should be 
worn; and to relieve the corn of pressure, apply 
over it a thick piece of buckskin or felt, with 
an opening in the middle of the size of the callus. 
By this means, the pressure can be wholly taken 
off the callus, and nature will in due time effect 
a cure. If the skin is very thick, it may be 



42 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

softened by the application of compresses wet in 
soda-water and saccharated solutions. In a short 
time, the skin becomes softened, so it can be 
easily scraped off. 

Care of the Feet in Winter 

Q. Give practical hints on the care of the 
feet in winter. 

A. Bathe the feet in cold water night and 
morning. Rub well and apply talcum powder. 
If the feet perspire, change the stockings every 
day. Two pairs of stockings will answer, each 
pair being rinsed and dried after being worn 
a day, in preparation for the alternate day; or, 
ii a little soap is added to the water, and there 
is opportunity for drying overnight, a single pair 
of stockings will serve for a week. 

Hot Feet 

Q. Is there any remedy for burning of the 
feet at night? 

A. The symptom is due to a vasomotor dis- 
turbance, the cause of which will generally be 
found to be chronic constipation or colitis. If 
this symptom is troublesome at night it may often 
be relieved by placing at the feet a bag filled 
with cold water, also by applying to the feet an 
ointment consisting of cold cream with the ad- 
dition of ten grains of menthol to the ounce. 
This should be rubbed on at bed time. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 43 

Sweating Hands and Feet 

Q. What causes sweating hands and feet? 

A. Neurasthenics are much subject to per- 
spiration of the hands and feet. The perspir- 
ing parts are usually cold. This condition is 
usually associated with constipation and is re- 
lieved by the application of measures elsewhere 
recommended for relief of constipation and neu- 
rasthenia. 

Chilblains 

Q. What is the best treatment for chil- 
blains? 

A. The alternate hot and cold foot bath is an 
excellent remedy for chilblains. The hot water 
should be as hot as can be borne, and the cold 
water as cold as can be obtained. Allow the 
feet to remain half a minute in the hot water 
and fifteen seconds in the cold water. Alternate 
ten or twelve times. Apply this treatment twice 
daily. 

Frost Bite 

Q. What is the treatment for frost bite? 

A. Extensive experience in the trenches dur- 
ing the European war showed that lack of cleanli- 
ness of the feet is an important predisposing 
cause of frost bite. Moisture and over-tight 



44 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

shoes are also contributing causes. In bad cases 
there has been found a fungus similar to the 
mold which sometimes grows on meat and bread. 

Washing the feet with borated camphorated 
soap and keeping them warm and dry are neces- 
sary aids to recovery. Electric heating pads have 
been used in the trenches with success. 

The alternate hot and cold foot bath recom- 
mended for chilblains is of great service in re- 
storing the vitality of the injured tissues. 

The mold referred to abounds in straw and 
stable litter and hence dairymen and those who 
work in stables should take care to wash their 
feet several times a week with the disinfecting 
soap above mentioned or some similar prepa- 
ration. 

Gold Feet 

Q. What is the cause of cold feet? 

A. When the feet and legs are cold there is 
deficient circulation of the blood through the 
parts, and the result is an excessive accumu- 
lation of blood in the liver, stomach, spleen, and 
other abdominal organs. The congestion of 
blood in these parts interferes seriously with 
their functions. The brain, spinal cord, and 
lungs are also congested and various mischiefs 
result; hence the feet must be kept warm. 

The feet are not cold because the circulation 
is weak, but because of spasm of the blood 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 45 

vessels of the extremities due to irritation of 
the vasomotor centers of the spine. This is 
generally the result of absorption of poisons from 
the alimentary canal. Coldness of the hands 
and feet is a common symptom of intestinal au- 
tointoxication. This condition is promoted b} 
flesh eating, by hasty eating, by excessive eating, 
by an inactive state of the bowels, and by what- 
ever interferes with good digestion. 

Many neurasthenics suffer almost constantly 
from coldness, and often clamminess, of the 
hands and feet. This symptom is most likely to 
appear soon after eating. It may also be in- 
duced by mental or nervous excitement. 
Temporary relief may be obtained by rubbing, 
or by alternating hot and cold applications to 
the spine. The abdominal supporter sometimes 
affords complete relief by supporting the ab- 
dominal viscera and thus preventing reflex 
irritation of the vasomotor centers. 

Bunions 

Q. What is the best treatment for bunions? 

A. Bunions are the result of wearing shoes 
which are too narrow at the toe. Benefit may 
be obtained by wearing sandals and shoes with 
wide toes. In very bad cases an operation may 
be necessary. Bunion plasters give great re- 
lief by preventing pressure. 



46 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Weak Ankle 

Q. Prescribe treatment for weak ankle 
which turns frequently. 

A. The ankle may be strengthened by 
special exercises, especially toe walking. Bathe 
the parts in cold water daily, applying a heating 
compress at night. Do not wear low shoes. A 
leather ankle support may be made by any shoe- 
maker. In bad cases a special apparatus may 
be needed. In such cases a surgeon should be 
consulted. 

Ingrowing Toenails 

Q. What can be done for ingrowing toe- 
nails? 

A. Ingrowing toenails may be radically cured 
by a simple operation. If the difficulty is slight, 
it may be cured by wearing a broad-toed shoe, 
scraping the center of the nail and taking care to 
give the nail a square edge to prevent the cor- 
ners from penetrating the flesh. 



Skin Ailments 

Dry Skin 

Q. What is the cause of a dry skin? 

A. The skin naturally secretes a fine oil 
which serves as a lubricant and protects the 
body from excessive loss of heat. It also serves 
as a natural means of cleansing the skin. This 
oil is secreted by the oil glands of the skin. 
These, as well as other glands of the skin are 
under the control of the thyroid gland. When 
the activity of the gland is diminished, as it 
sometimes is, especially in persons past middle 
age, the skin becomes dry. The hair usually 
begins to fall out and to become less vigorous 
in growth from the same cause. Constipation 
and the resulting intestinal toxemia is probably 
the chief cause. 

The bowels should be made to move three 
times a day (see Constipation) so as to keep 
the body free from toxins. Water must be 
taken freely, two or three quarts a day. Bathe 
only in soft water and be careful to remove all 
soap from the skin. After the bath apply 
lanoline cream. It is well also to apply a little 
of the cream daily, especially if there is a tendency 
to irritation, itching, burning, or "breaking out/' 



48 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Lanoline Cream — "Skin Food" 

Q. What is the best "skin food" or oint- 
ment for the skin? 

A. There is no such thing as "skin food." 
The many advertised "skin foods" are usually 
simple ointments prepared from lard or other 
cheap grease of some sort and highly perfumed. 
The skin cannot be fed by rubbing anything upon 
it or into it. The skin is not a stomach. The 
skin is a breathing organ and an excreting or- 
gan. The skin lets things out. It takes very 
little in. It will take in moisture to a very slight 
degree. Friction improves the circulation of the 
skin and thus helps its nutrition. When natural 
oil of the skin is deficient, oil in some form should 
be applied daily. The best skin lubricant is the 
following, prepared from a formula given the 
writer by an eminent New York skin specialist: 

Lanolin 2 ounces 

Boro-glyceride 1 " 

Cold cream made with white 

vaseline 6 " 

Apply daily when the skin is dry or chapped. 

Chapped Hands 

Q. What is good for chapped hands? 

A. The sensitive parts of the skin are pro- 
tected by a thin horny layer. Dry cold air cracks 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 49 

this natural protective covering and exposes the 
sensitive structures beneath. When the hands 
are washed with soap in hard water, some of 
the insoluble lime soap which is formed is left 
upon the skin, and this increases the tendency 
of the skin to crack or chap. If the hands are 
soiled, the chapping gets worse because of in- 
fection of the raw surface exposed at the bot- 
tom of each crack. 

The remedy is simple. Keep the hands per- 
fectly clean by washing with good soap and 
soft water (rain or snow water, distilled or 
softened water). After washing, rinse the hands 
in clear water until all the soap is removed. Wash 
in a running stream, not in a bowl. Apply "lano- 
line cream" night and morning, and rub in well. 

Dingy Complexion 

Q. What is the cause of a bad or dingy 
complexion? 

A. No one admires brown circles around the 
eyes, and brown patches on the hands, and a 
leather-colored skin. What these things mean 
is that behind the leather-colored skin is a bad 
breath. Behind the bad breath is impure blood — 
blood charged with these same offensive aromas 
that are coming out in the breath, for that is 
where these offensive odors come from. The 
blood picks them up in the colon and other parts 



50 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED . 

of the body and carries them to the lungs, where 
they are poured into the breath. The breath is 
bad because the whole body is bad. It is not 
simply the breath that smells bad — the whole body 
is tainted. Even the perspiration is offensive, 
because some of the poisons that do not escape 
by the breath escape by way of the skin — foul 
putrescent materials that ought to be carried out 
through the bowels, but that are obliged to escape 
through the lungs, kidneys and the skin. 

A dingy skin can not be cleared by rubbing 
on cosmetics or lotions of any sort. The cleansing 
process must he thorough-going. First of all the 
diet must be changed. Stop eating meats and rich 
foods. They rot in the colon and produce the 
poisonous brown pigment which tinges the skin, 
brenzc ate chin. Make the bowels move three times 
a day by the use of sterilized bran and paralax 
or some other good preparation of paraffin. 
Drink three quarts of water daily. Sleep in the 
open air on a porch or at least with open win- 
dows at all seasons. Take a sweating bath twice 
a week and a cold air bath or cold towel rub 
every morning. Live simply, biologically, 
scientifically. 

A brown skin means that the possessor is grow- 
ing old too fast. It is necessary to cultivate 
youth by obeying the laws of health and keeping 
the body clear of poisons. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 51 

Sensitive Skin 

Q. Why do my hands itch and burn in cold 
weather? 

A. Doubtless you have a very sensitive skin. 
You should protect it by applying to it a coating 
of oil. Lanoline cream is best. (See page 48). 
Take great pains also when cleaning the hands 
not to leave soap on the skin. The hands should 
always be washed in running water, and not in 
water held in a bowl or basin. The first use of 
water in a bowl soils the whole quantity and it 
is then impossible, no matter how long the pro- 
cess is continued to get the hands clean in un- 
clean water. The reason why the hands chap in 
cold weather is generally that either dirt or soap 
is left on the skin, producing an irritation. 

Oily Skin 

Q. What can be done for oily skin? 

A. In some persons there is an excessive pro- 
duction of sebaceous matter or sebum, due to 
morbid activity of the fat glands of the skin. 
The skin of such persons presents a shiny look 
Little beads of oily matter may be seen at the 
mouths of the glands near the roots of the hairs. 
The forehead, nose and cheeks are most fre- 
quently affected. When the scalp is affected, the 
condition may be indicated by soiling of the pil- 



52 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

low. Acne is frequently accompanied by this 
condition. 

When many of the glands are clogged up, as 
indicated by the abundance of blackheads, the 
surface should first be thoroughly rubbed with 
warm oil. Cocoanut or almond oil is the best. 
After half an hour the surface should be rubbed 
with a flannel cloth, thoroughly saturated with 
soap moistened with warm water, and stretched 
over the fingers ; or a soft sponge may be used. 
This is best done at night, just before retiring. 
Repeat every few days. The x-ray has proved 
itself very serviceable in oily skin and seborrhea. 
It cures by destroying the glands. 

Excessive Perspiration 

Q. What is the best means of checking ex- 
cessive perspiration? 

A. Excessive perspiration is often a neu- 
rasthenic symptom and is due to toxemia. The 
skin is making an effort to remove from the 
blood the poisons with which it is congested. Ex- 
cessive perspiration is often a common symptom 
of tuberculosis. Neurasthenics are likely to 
sweat profusely when they fall asleep and when 
subject to nervous strain of any sort. The con- 
sumptive sweats at night. Sponging the skin 
with very hot water at bed time is an excellent 
means of lessening the night sweats. The neu- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 53 

i 

rasthenic should unload his overloaded colon by 

making the bowels move three or four times daily, 
not for a few days only but habitually. A non- 
flesh diet and careful following of the simple life 
rules will in time effect a cure. 

Lupus 

Q. What is this disease and is it con- 
tagious? 

A. Lupus is simply tuberculosis of the skin. 
It may be communicated the same as other 
forms of tuberculosis but is less likely to be a 
source of infection for the reason that the germs 
of this disease are very deep in the skin and 
are not likely to be spread about as are the 
germs which develop in connection with pul- 
monary tuberculosis and with which the ex- 
pectorated matters of the patient are teeming. 

Wens 

Q. What causes the growth of wens? 

A. Obstruction of the oil glands in the 
skin. These glands manufacture a fatty 
substance which is normally expelled upon the 
skin. This substance accumulates when the 
opening of the ducts becomes obstructed, and 
forms a tumor, commonly called a wen. 



54 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Removal of Wens 

Q. Can a wen be removed without a knife? 

A. It might be removed with caustic appli- 
cations, but it would be painful and bungling, 
and leave an unsightly scar. The knife is the 
only proper means ; it makes a clean wound 
which heals immediately. 

Small Seed Warts 

Q. What is the easiest way to remove small 
seed warts? 

A. Put on a little acetic acid every night with 
the tip of a wooden toothpick and in a few days 
the wart will soften and rub off. Radium and 
carbon dioxide ice are painless and certain rem- 
edies for warts. 

Leucoderma — Piebald Skin 

Q. Is there any cure for leucoderma, or any 
way to prevent the spread of it? 

A. Correction of the auto-intoxication to 
which this condition is usually due will arrest 
the spread of the skin changes, and the writer 
has seen one case in which the natural color of 
the skin returned. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 55 

Warts and Moles 

Q. How should warts and moles be re- 
moved? 

A. The best means is freezing with carbon 
dioxide ice. Radium is also effective and the 
x-ray. 

Excision, that is, removal by the knife, is a 
satisfactory method of dealing with these ab- 
normalities if the work is done thoroughly. In 
the case of moles it is highly important that the 
entire mole should be removed. A small fragment 
left behind may develop into a cancer. Incom- 
plete removal has led to the popular notion that 
operation is dangerous in these cases. As a mat- 
ter of fact, nothing is more dangerous than in- 
complete operation except an injury, which is 
still more likely to lead to cancer development. 

Enlarged Pores 

Q. Can the skin of the cheeks and nose with 
enlarged pores be made normal? 

A. The most that can be said with reference 
to this condition is that it can be greatly im- 
proved. 



56 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The Senile Skin 

Q. What is the significance of brown spots 
on the hands and a shiny appearace' 

A. The skin is a very good indicator of a 
person's real age. "A man is as old as his 
arteries," as his kidneys, also as his skin. A 
thin, shiny, wrinkled, inelastic skin, indicates 
senility, no matter what the person's age. Large 
dark brown spots on the hands have the same 
meaning. The skin is thin because it has under- 
gone degeneration and this condition of the skin 
accompanies similar degenerations which are 
taking place in all parts of the body. In many 
cases the skin may be very greatly improved by 
baths, massage, sun or electric light baths and 
by a strict antitoxic and laxative diet. The 
bowels must be made to move three times a day 
by proper diet and the use of paraffin oil, bran 
or agar-agar, and the kidneys must be kept ac- 
tive by free water drinking. 

Brown Patches on the Skin 

Q. Why do brown spots, somewhat re- 
sembling freckles, appear on the hands and 
what is the cause of them? 

A. They are an evidence that degeneration 
of the thyroid gland and of the suprarenal cap- 
sules of the kidney has taken place. Long re- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 57 

tention of putrescible food material in the colon 
is the cause. A product of the decay that thus 
takes place is certain brownish coloring matters 
which are absorbed into the blood. It is one 
of the functions of the suprarenal capsules to 
destroy this brown coloring matter. But when 
these glands have too much work to do, because 
of the flood of poisons pouring into the blood 
continuously, they get worn out. And so the 
brown coloring matter is left as a deposit under 
the skin. Most often the hands, but the face 
and all portions of the body are subject to them. 
In one whose antitoxic glands have entirely 
failed, the whole skin may be as brown as an 
Indian's. 

The only safe plan is to avoid the difficulty by 
eating natural foods (grains, vegetables, nuts 
and fruits), and by frequent bowel movements, 
keeping the colon from becoming a storage place 
for body waste and poisons. 

Pimples 

Q. What is the safest and surest way of 
getting rid of pimples on face, neck, chest, and 
arms? Are any of the face creams advertised 
on the market useful? 

A. Pimples or acne on the face and other 
parts are the result of lowered vital resistance, 
almost invariably the result of intestinal auto- 



58 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

intoxication. Bathing the parts with very hot 
water is beneficial, but a rapid cure can be ac- 
complished only by the adoption of an anti- 
toxic diet and care to secure thorough movement 
of the bowels two or three times daily. 

Vigorous outdoor exercise sufficient to cause 
free perspiration, copious water drinking (two or 
three quarts a day), avoidance of meat and espe- 
cially of animal fats, abundant use of fresh fruits 
at every meal and the free use of bran, sufficient 
to make the bowels move freely three times a 
day, are the best means of raising vital resistance. 
Sometimes the use of an autogenous vaccine is 
necessary. The application of the x-ray by a 
skillful roentgenologist is a very certain method 
of cure and the actinic ray of the electric light is 
almost equally efficient. Sunburning is a most 
excellent method. 

Prickly Heat 

Q. How can I rid myself of prickly heat? 

A. Prickly heat, or heat eruptions, accom- 
panied by severe prickling and itching, gen- 
erally disappears within a few hours, but it 
may continue for some time and finally become 
eczema. Persons subject to prickly heat should 
wear cotton or silk next to the body, and should 
avoid overexerting themselves during hot 
weather. The irritation may be relieved by cool 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 59 

sponging and by bathing the surface with soda 
or saleratus water, a teaspoonful to the pint. 
After bathing, the surface should be dried by 
a gentle patting with a soft towel, without rub- 
bing. Rice powder or borated talcum powder is 
useful. 

Salt Rheum — Eczema 

Q. What is salt rheum? 

A. Salt rheum is a common name for 
eczema, or moist tetter. This is the most com- 
mon of all skin diseases. Eczema appears in 
various forms. When acute it is characterized 
by intense burning, or itching, with a watery 
discharge; when chronic the skin thickens and 
scales and scabs farm. This condition is gen- 
erally caused by intestinal toxemia, inactivity of 
the bowels and a high-protein diet. 

Salt rheum is curable by regulation of the diet 
and by application of other means. A cure can 
always be hastened by local applications; espe- 
cially by the use of the x-ray. Light applications 
are also useful in some cases. The burning and 
itching can be greatly relieved by an application 
of gauze wrung out of very hot water. The 
temperature of the water should be as hot as 
can possibly be borne. Cloths wrung out of hot 
soda water (a teaspoonful of bi-carbonate of soda 
to a pint of water) generally afford relief. 



60 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Spots Under the Skin 

Q. What causes small red spots, like blood, 
to form under the skin? 

A. Rupture of the blood vessels from de- 
generation of the vessel walls. The case may 
be a very serious one, and the patient should be 
placed under the most skilled medical care im- 
mediately. 

Ringworm 

Q. What is the cause of and cure for ring- 
worm? 

A. Ringworm is a parasitic disease. Paint 
the part with tincture of iodine, turpentine, or a 
strong solution of borax. Improve the general 
health. The x-ray is a certain cure. 

Nails 

Q. What is the cause of ridges and white 
spots on the nails? 

A. Slight defects in the nutrition of the 
nail, which probably indicate some general im- 
pairment of nutrition at the time when the af- 
fected part of the nail was being formed, such 
as loss of sleep, attack of indigestion, or some 
other illness. A very common cause is chronic 
constipation, which disturbs all the bodily func- 
tions by causing the absorption of poisons. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 61 

"Winter Itch" 

Q. Is there a remedy for "winter itch?" 

A. Many persons suffer from intolerable 
burning or itching which makes its appearance 
at the beginning of cold weather and disappears 
with the first warm, damp days of spring. The 
cause is fine chapping or cracking of the skin 
due to the dryness of the air. At first no erup- 
tion appears; but after the parts have been 
rubbed, redness appears, and often the char- 
acteristic appearance of eczema or salt rheum. 

Almost instant relief from the intolerable itch- 
ing or burning may be obtained by bathing the 
parts with very hot water. The temperature 
must be 105° to 115° F. The water may be 
poured on from a basin or applied by means of 
a soft, folded towel wrung out of water hotter 
than the skin will bear without injury if con- 
tact is prolonged. The water should be dashed 
on, or the towel applied for a few seconds then 
withdrawn and reapplied. 

After the hot application, smear well with lan- 
oline cream. (Page 48.) Repeat the treat- 
ment twice a day. Carefully avoid rubbing or 
scratching, as this will cause infection and may 
give rise to eczema. 



62 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Pigmentation of the Skin 

Q. What is the cause of pigmentation of 
the skin observed in intestinal toxemia? 

A. Combe and other investigators have 
shown that pigmentation of the skin is due to 
the absorption by the intestine of certain color- 
ing matters produced by the putrefaction of pro- 
tein. The most important are brenzcatechin and 
alkapton, highly poisonous substances produced 
by decay of meat in the colon. 

Freckles 

Q. Is there any safe method of removing 
freckles? 

A. Superficial freckles may be removed by 
lotions of various sorts, such as lemon juice and 
boracic acid, buttermilk compresses, etc. 
Permanent freckles which are not caused by ex- 
posure to the sun and wind and which are due 
to deposits are, in many cases, the result of in- 
testinal autointoxication. A coloring matter 
known as brenzcatechin is formed by the de- 
composition of animal substances in the in- 
testine. 

The deposit of these substances in the skin 
gives rise to the brown spots and patches 
sometimes known as liver spots. The adoption 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 63 

of an antitoxic diet, free water drinking, sweat- 
ing baths, abundant exercise out of doors, sleep- 
ing out of doors, and other measures which pro- 
mote purity of the blood and improve the health 
will often cause the disappearance of these 
blemishes. 

Care must also be taken to make the bowels 
move three times a day (see constipation). 
Large, dark brown spots and "moles" may be 
removed by the careful application of carbon 
dioxide ice. 

Boils 

Q. What is the cause of boils and how may 
they be prevented? 

A. Boils are directly due to infection of the 
tissues with germs. There are always found 
upon the skin germs which are capable of produc- 
ing boils and other suppurative processes if in- 
troduced into the system. Ordinarily, however, 
the body does not suffer from the close proximity 
of these noxious elements, for the reason that 
the tissues are able to destroy, in various ways, 
the small number of bacteria which penetrate the 
skin. When, however, by any means the vital- 
ity of the system becomes lowered to a sufficient 
degree, invasion by these parasitic microbes 
through a scratch, a pin prick, or any other 
abrasion of the skin, may give rise to the mul- 



64 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

tiplication of germs under the skin and the pro- 
duction of pus, with the accompanying swell- 
ing, pain, and inflammation. 

A person subject to boils should build up 
his resistance by simple living, — cold bathing, 
out-of-door life, day and night, abstaining from 
flesh foods and meats of all kinds. The diet 
should consist chiefly of fruits and vegetables. 
The bowels should be made to move three or 
four times daily. If the boils still continue to 
appear an auto vaccine should be prepared and 
administered. In most cases immunity may be 
quickly established by this method. 

Treatment for Boils 

Q. What treatment is of value for boils? 

A. The application of heat and cold alter- 
nately will sometimes disperse a boil in the 
early stage. When it becomes painful, apply 
hot fomentations frequently, with the wet com- 
press during the intervals, or apply continuously 
a soft poultice. The wet compress covered with 
oil-silk has the same effect as the poultice. The 
kind of poultice is quite immaterial, if it be non- 
irritating, for its only valuable properties are 
warmth and moisture. 

When the boil is ripe, that is, when a little 
white vesicle appears near the surface, its cure 
may be hastened by lancing with a sharp knife. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 65 

The discharge may be encouraged by gentle 
pressure; but squeezing boils is a very harm- 
ful practice, and greatly retards their cure. After 
opening, a boil should be dressed with compresses 
wet with boracic acid solution, or with a five per- 
cent solution of common salt. Applications for 
the treatment of boils, to be effective, should in- 
clude the surrounding tissues as well as the boil. 

A carbuncle is simply a large boil. A sty is a 
small boil on the eyelid. Treatment for each 
is the same as for ordinary boils. 

It is a mistaken notion that the purulent mat- 
ters discharged from boils are concentrated im- 
purities which previously existed in the blood. 
The pus itself is made up of the white blood 
corpuscles, the most precious part of the blood. 
It is an error to suppose that boils are in any 
way beneficial to the health. They are due to in- 
fection and are caused by low vital resistance. 
This condition is commonly expressed by the 
term ''bad blood," or a "low state of the body/' 
A pec on in this condition should proceed to build 
himself up by "right living" as quickly as possible, 
otherwise he may fall a victim to some malady 
much more serious than boils. 



66 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Ulcers 

Q. How may the offensive odor of ulcers 
be removed? 

A. Old ulcers on various parts of the body 
are frequently very offensive as well as painful. 
To remove the odor emitted by the discharges, 
apply cloths wet with Dakin's solution. Alternate 
hot and cold applications once or twice a day 
hastens the healing of chronic ulcers. 

Blackheads — Comedo 

Q. Is there an efficient remedy for black- 
heads? 

A. When these are present in large num- 
bers, the face appears as though gun powder 
had been blown into it, or pepper sprinkled over 
it. It is best to remove them, as, if not removed 
nature undertakes the work by setting up an in- 
flammation about each one and producing real 
acne. They may be squeezed out by pressure 
between the nails, but are best removed by a 
little tube with an opening about the thirty-sec- 
ond of an inch in diameter, or a watch key, 
which should be pressed directly down upon the 
affected gland, care being taken not to injure 
the skin by too great pressure. The further 
treatment of comedo should be the same as 
recommended elsewhere for oily skin. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 67 

Beri-beri 

Q. What is the caust of beri-beri? 

A. Beri-beri is caused by lack of vitamines. 
It is generally due to an exclusive diet of polished 
rice, but may be caused by fine wheat flour. 

Cause of Nettle Rash 

Q. What causes nettle rash? 

A. Poisons absorbed from the intestine, or 
acute intestinal toxemia. This is now thoroughly 
demonstrated. There was recently a symposium 
on the subject of intestinal toxemia in London 
at which sixty of the most distinguished men of 
England took opportunity to attend and all agreed 
that nettle rash is practically always due to poisons 
absorbed from the intestine. 

Treatment for Rash in An Infant 

Q. Please give advice for treatment of nettle 
rash in an infant. 

A. Bathe with very hot water containing 
a dram of salt or soda to the pint. The child's 
diet should be corrected. Nettle rash is due to 
indigestion. A physician should be consulted in 
regard to a change in the baby's food. Usually 
the child is constipated. Malt sugar and orange 
juice may be needed. 



68 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Heat Rash 

Q. What is the cause of a rash that comes 
out on the arms and wrists when a person 
becomes heated? 

A. There is doubtless a hypersensitive con- 
dition of the skin, very possibly the result of an 
acrid state of the perspiration. This condition 
is generally the result of a chronic toxemia aris- 
ing from the absorption of putrefactive products 
from the intestine. Relief can generally be ob- 
tained by cleansing the parts daily with distilled 
or soft water, by bathing with alcohol, and the 
free use of borated talcum powder. 

Bruises 

Q. What is a good treatment for a bruise? 

A. For severe contusion in consequence of a 
blow received on any of the soft parts of the 
body apply a hot fomentation as soon as possible 
after the accident. Repeat the fomentation at 
intervals of two or three hours as long as the 
bruise remains sore and painful. During the in- 
terval apply over the part a compress consist- 
ing of a towel wrung as dry as possible from 
cold water, and covered first with mackintosh, 
then with several thicknesses of flannel to main- 
tain warmth. The hemorrhage beneath the skin 
which frequently occurs in consequence of a 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 69 

severe bruise, may generally be prevented by firm 
compression immediately after the injury. It 
is a custom among German mothers when a 
child falls, striking its head severely, to apply 
the convex surface of the bowl of a teaspoon 
immediately on picking it up. The compression 
can be kept up by means of a pad and bandage 
as long as desired. 

When a person has been much jarred by 
a considerable fall, or more or less bruised all 
over, a hot full bath or a hot blanket pack will 
give more relief than any other remedy. This 
measure should not be applied however when 
the patient is faint. 

In case a person has been bruised about the 
trunk or body, by having a tree fall on him or 
being run over, the services of a skilled surgeon 
should be obtained as soon as possible. Hot 
fomentations or a hot full bath may be employed 
in the meantime. 

Bruises upon the head in consequence of 
severe blows or a fall, often give rise to serious 
symptoms on account of fracture of the skull 
and compression of the brain, or from simple 
concussion or jarring of the brain. If a person 
is insensible or partially paralyzed in con- 
sequence of an accident in which the head is 
injured, surgical advice should be secured at 



70 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

once. As a general rule, continuous cold is the 
best application for injuries resulting from severe 
blows upon the head. Fomentations may be ap- 
plied at intervals to relieve soreness, but the 
application should be continued not longer than 
five or ten minutes at a time. 



Sleep 

Hours of Sleep 

Q. How many hours of sleep are required? 

A. A very few persons may he able to get 
along fairly well with six hours, but eight hours 
of complete rest in bed are required by the 
average person. Many persons who have a pre- 
disposition to neurasthenia require an hour or 
two more. Few persons are able to work con- 
tinuously for any length of time with less than 
six hours sleep. The stories told of persons who 
habitually require but four hours sleep are not 
authentic. 

Napoleon slept but four hours in his bed 
but took naps in the day time. The Duke of 
Wellington slept four hours at night but often 
fell asleep at the dinner table and sometimes 
when riding. Mr. Edison advocates four hours 
sleep as sufficient, but in addition to four hours 
in bed often takes naps in the day-time on a bed 
in his laboratory. His intimates say that he sleeps 
as much as most people do, which is six to eight 
hours in twenty- four. 



72 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Cause of Insomnia 

Q. What is the cause of sleeplessness or 
insomnia? 

A. The disease may be due to too much blood 
in the brain, or to irritating poisons in the blood. 
The cause must be removed. Insomnia is usually 
accompanied by constipation, and is the natural 
result of the absorption of poisonous matters 
from the colon. The putrefaction of undigested 
remnants of food in the colon gives rise to the 
formation of poisons of various sorts, some of 
which are capable of exciting the brain and 
nerves in such a way as to give rise to insom- 
nia. It is generally impossible to cure insomnia 
without relief of accompanying constipation. 

Drowsiness 

Q . How may one relieve drowsiness? 

A. A person who cannot sleep at night is 
often afflicted with an almost irresistible drowsi- 
ness during the day, especially after meals. In- 
ability to keep awake in church or at a lecture is 
not uncommon. This difficulty is especially com- 
mon in visceral neurasthenics, who often suffer 
from drowsiness when sitting or standing, but 
become wide awake on assuming the horizontal 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 73 

position. These persons suffer from lack of vaso- 
motor regulation, and so are at the mercy of 
gravitation — when upright the blood runs into 
the dilated abdominal vessels; when horizontal, 
the blood runs back to the head, so that the brain 
is alternately drained of blood and overcharged. 
For temporary relief, bathing the face and 
neck with very hot or cold water, or with hot 
and cold water in alternation, are most efficient 
measures. Drinking half a glassful of hot water 
and lying upon the face over a pillow for a few 
minutes, avoiding sleep, are simple measures 
which often afford prompt, if temporary, relief. 

Morning Drowsiness 

Q. What is the cause of my being very 
sleepy mornings? I fall asleep while reading 
the newspaper and remain sleepy until about 
noon. I am apparently in good health. 

A. The cause of drowsiness is probably a de- 
ficient blood supply to the brain. This may be 
due to a congestion of the portal circulation. 
Remedial measures are the morning cold bath, 
an abdominal supporter, outdoor exercise, and 
rather light breakfast. Keep the bowels active 
by free use of bran and paraffin. 



74 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Remedy for Sleeplessness 

Q. What is the best remedy for sleepless- 
ness? 

A. At bed- time take a neutral bath. This con- 
sists of a full bath at a temperature of 92° to 96° 
F. A bath of this temperature has wonderful 
calmative and soporific effects. The duration of 
the bath may be as long as necessary to produce 
the desired effects. Several hours in the bath 
may be required. Sooner or later the disposition 
to sleep will come, and then the patient may leave 
the bath and retire. In getting out of the bath 
the greatest care must be taken to avoid chilling, 
even in the slightest degree. The patient should 
not be cooled off in the manner usual after warm 
baths, but should be wrapped in a Turkish sheet 
and gently dried (not rubbed), and should then 
slip into a warm bed as quickly as possible. 

A warm foot bath taken just before going to 
bed will often induce sleep by withdrawing the 
blood from the head. The moist abdominal band- 
age, — a wet bandage well covered with flannel so 
as to produce thorough warming will often ac- 
complish the same result. In addition observe the 
following rules : 1. Discard meats. 2. Take only 
a light supper, consisting of fruits, with perhaps 
a glass of buttermilk or plain soup of some sort. 
Avoid bread and butter, cake, pastry and all in- 
digestibles. The less work the stomach has to 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 75 

do during the night, the sounder the sleep will 
be. 3. Discard tea and coffee if you are addicted 
to the use of these poisons. 4. Drink two or 
three quarts of water daily. 5. Make the bowels 
move three or four times a day by the use of 
laxative foods. The bowels ought at least to 
move after every meal. 6. Live out of doors as 
much as possible, and sleep in a tent or on a 
porch so as to breathe out-of-door air when 
asleep. 7. Take enough muscular exercise every 
day to get really tired. 8. Avoid excitement of 
any sort before going to bed. 9. Avoid feather 
mattresses and pillows, and too much bed cov- 
ering. The bed covers should be light and por- 
ous. The writer has sometimes, when under 
great strain, found it advantageous to spend the 
greater part of the night in the neutral bath. It 
appears that one can sleep at least twice as fast 
in a bathtub as in bed. Care should be taken to 
encourage the drowsy feeling which the bath 
induces and to get into bed and get to sleep with- 
out in any way exciting the nervous system. 

Food at Bedtime 

Q. Is it true that food may be used to pro- 
mote sleep, and is most beneficial to nervous 
persons who have not eaten a very hearty 
or a very late meal ? 

A, The above is true, but it is far better to 



76 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

draw the blood from the brain by warming the 
feet than by exciting the stomach. Or, if it is 
necessary to divert blood into the abdominal 
veins, this may be done by a moist abdominal 
bandage, thus saving the stomach the labor of 
digesting the food. One might divert blood 
from the head to the feet by walking, but this 
would exhaust one's energies if he were already 
tired. The effort of digestion is likewise ex- 
hausting, and interferes with sleep. It is well 
when one is wakeful to warm the feet, if cold, 
by the application of a hot bottle, or heat in some 
other form, or by rubbing. 

Wakefulness 

Q. I frequently waken between three and 
four o'clock in the morning, after about five 
hours' sleep. What will help me to go sleep 
again? 

A. The moist abdominal bandage at night 
will aid sleep. Rubbing the surface of the body 
with the hands for a few minutes will often con- 
duce to sleep. When the moist abdominal band- 
age is applied, if found too dry on awaking, it 
should be re-wet, Avoid suppers, except fruit. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 77 

Avoid Drugs in Insomnia 

Q. May sleep producing drugs be used 
safely? 

A. Sleep obtained by the use of opiates, is 
by no means a substitute for natural sleep. The 
condition is one of insensibility, but not of na- 
tural refreshing recuperation. Three or four 
hours of natural sleep will be more than equival- 
ent to double that amount of sleep obtained by 
the use of narcotics. When a person once be- 
comes dependent upon drugs of any kind for 
producing sleep, it is almost impossible for him 
to dispense with them. It is often dangerous to 
resort to their temporary use, on account of the 
great tendency to the formation of the habit of 
continuous use. The most effective means of 
combating sleeplessness when known causes of 
this condition have been removed is the neutral 
bath. This consists of a full bath given at a 
temperature of 92° to 96° F. The temper- 
ature should never be higher or lower. The 
neutral bath quiets the nervous system by sat- 
urating the cutaneous nerves with water and thus 
diminishing their sensibility. The absorption of 
water from the bath stimulates the action of the 
kidneys and thus carries away the irritating 
poisons. Practically every case may be relieved 
by the neutral bath if the bath is continued long 
enough. In insane asylums patients are fre- 



78 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

quently kept in the bath two to five hours. No 
injury results from this bath, no matter how 
long it is continued. The neutral pack may be 
used when the neutral bath is not available. 

Return of Insomnia 

Q. Will insomnia once cured return if the 
patient takes good care of himself? 

A. No. If he keeps right on doing the things 
that made him sleep he will continue to sleep. In- 
somnia sometimes gets to be a habit and when 
the bad habit is broken it has to be cultivated 
before it will return. 

Sleep Walking — Somnambulism 

Q. What is the cause of sleep walking? 

A. The habit of walking about while asleep 
is one of the most curious of all the phenomena 
of nervous action. The somnambulistic state is 
simply an exaggeration of the state of dream. It 
is a condition in which the intellectual faculties 
are dormant, while many parts of the brain seem 
to be even more active than usual. While in 
this curious state, persons will accomplish feats 
which would be impossible for them while awake. 

Many remarkable instances of somnambulism 
are recorded. For example a story is told of 
one Cortelli, who was found one night asleep 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 79 

in the act of translating from a dictionary. When 
his candle was extinguished, he arose and went 
to seek another light. 

The Archbishop of Bordeaux tells a story 
of a theological studeint who wrote sermons 
while he was asleep. He continued to write after 
the paper was removed and while he was re- 
vising a page requiring correction, a piece of 
blank paper of the exact size was substituted for 
his own manuscript, and on that he made the cor- 
rections in the precise situation which they would 
have occupied on the original page. 

Nightmare 

Q. What is the cause of nightmare, and 
the best remedy? 

A. Nightmare is a nervous disorder oc- 
curring during sleep, most frequently the effect 
of indigestion. The remedy is to avoid eating at 
night — avoid sleeping on the back, especially; 
see that the bowels are emptied before retiring. 
An excellent precaution is to take a neutral bath 
for half an hour just before going to bed. 

Sleeping With Mouth Open 

Q. Why does a person sleep with the 
mouth open? 

A. There is probably obstruction of the nose 
which must be removed. In some cases where 



80 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

mouth breathing is only a habit it is necessary to 
close the mouth by means of a bandage or some 
other device. 

Sleeping in the Open Air 

Q. What are the best arrangements for 
open-air sleeping? 

A. In the summer the problem is a simple 
one. It is only necessary to place the bed upon 
a porch or balcony or in a tent on the lawn or 
under an awning on the roof. The writer found 
a very comfortable sleeping place during severa* 
summers in a cozy bungalow built in the top of 
a large oak tree about thirty feet above the 
ground. The only inconvenience was the 
screeching of the blue jays and the chattering 
of the squirrels in the early morning hours. 

For fresh air sleeping during the cold months 
more elaborate arrangements are necessary. 
There are numerous devices for overcoming the 
several difficulties which present themselves. 
The most important thing to be remembered is 
that the bed clothing should not be left out of 
doors or continually exposed to the cold air, for 
the reason that it becomes saturated with 
moisture from the body and the sleeper becomes 
chilled while warming up the bed after retiring. 
If the bed is out of doors the bed clothing should 
be kept in doors and taken out just before re- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 81 

tiring. A convenient method of accomplishing 
this is to arrange the bed in such a way that 
while two legs are always outside, the other two 
legs are inside. It is best to have the head of the 
bed outside and the foot inside. During the day 
time the bed should be drawn in and the window 
sash should be shut down. At night the window 
is raised and the bed shoved out upon a balcony 
or porch arranged to receive it. On retiring the 
window sash may be pushed down so that the 
bedroom may be kept warm for dressing in the 
morning. A device used in the writer's family 
is an electric rug placed over the mattress of 
each of the beds which are on a sleeping porch 
open on three sides. The blanket is so con- 
structed that by pushing a button an electric 
current may be passed through many feet of 
German silver wire which are woven into the 
mattress. The wire is thus heated and the bed 
is warmed. By turning on the current half an 
hour before bed time a warm dry bed is insured. 
After going to bed the occupant turns of! the 
heat, but it may be turned on again for a few 
minutes at any time during the night if a change 
of weather renders additional heat necessary. 



82 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Sleeping in a Tent 

Q. What is the best arrangement for out- 
door sleeping in a tent? 

A. It is simply necessary to take care to see 
that the tent is open so that the air can circulate 
through. One may shut a tent up so tight that 
he will be a great deal worse off than if indoors, 
because the tent does not let in so much light 
as do glass windows and the fresh air admitted 
may be less than in a well ventilated room. 

Disturbed Sleep 

Q. How may one fall asleep quickly after 
being disturbed at night? 

A. Practice rhythmical deep breathing, and 
count the breaths from one to one hundred. 
You will probably fall asleep before you reach 
one hundred. 

Proper Position in Sleeping 

Q. Should one sleep upon the back or upon 
the side? 

A. The best position for sleeping is that 
in which one finds himself most comfortable. It 
is known that lying upon the right side favors 
emptying of the stomach. For persons who have 
very weak abdominal muscles and whose intes- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 83 

tines are constantly filled with gas because of 
incompetency of the ileocecal valve it is a good 
plan to sleep upon the face. Sometimes it is 
still more beneficial to lie over a small cushion or 
pillow, the pressure of which upon the abdomen 
encourages bowel action. 

Sleeping After Meals 

Q. Does sleeping after meals hinder di- 
gestion? 

A. On the whole, digestion interferes with 
sleep more than sleep interferes with digestion. 

Six o'clock dinners are a very common cause 
of insomnia. A hearty meal should not be eaten 
within six or eight hours before retiring. Food 
is a nerve stimulant. The great influx of blood 
which occurs a few hours after eating a meal 
stimulates the brain and nerves and thus pro- 
duces sleeplessness. The drowsiness which oc- 
curs immediately after eating is due to the fact 
that a large amount of blood is drawn to the 
stomach to aid the process of digestion. This 
lessens the blood supply of the brain and so pro- 
duces drowsiness or dullness. 

Dr. Schule, in carefully conducted experiments 
upon two subjects, showed that sleep during 
digestion greatly increases the acidity of the 
gastric juice but hinders the passage of food 
from the stomach into the intestine. Simply 



84 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

resting in a horizontal position after eating, with- 
out sleeping, was observed to encourage digestion. 
These experiments clearly demonstrate the in- 
jury resulting from late suppers. 

After Dinner Naps 

Q. Is there any objection to taking a nap 
after dinner or any other hearty meal? 

A. Sleeping immediately after eating is de- 
cidely objectionable and often gives rise to hy- 
peracidity. The stomach has two distinct lines 
of work: 

1. It secretes a digestive fluid which dissolves 
food. 

2. Its muscular walls contract upon the food, 
mixing the gastric contents and pushing the di- 
gested portion along to the intestine. 

During sleep the secretion proceeds normally, 
but the movements of the stomach are greatly 
diminished in intensity so that the stomach is not 
emptied at the proper rate. This is partly due 
to the fact that the breathing movements are 
greatly diminished during sleep and so the as- 
sistance which the stomach receives from the 
diaphragm in moving food along into the in- 
testine is lost. When the food is retained too 
long in the stomach the gastric contents be- 
come excessively acid, and the mucous membrane 
is injured and pain, spasm of the pylorus and 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 85 

other symptoms m are the result. A short nap of 
ten or fifteen minutes after a meal is not objec- 
tionable, but prolonged sleeping directly after 
eating should be avoided. 

Dreams 

Q. What is the cause of dreams? 

A. Dreams never occur in perfectly sound 
sleep. They are an indication that there is not 
complete cessation of activity in the cerebrum. 
The will being dormant, the various faculties 
act in an irregular, disorderly manner, giving 
rise- to a great variety of absurd, grotesque, in- 
consistent mental pictures. It has been remarked 
that dreams are the best index to a person's char- 
acter since they are really but the echoes of our 
waking thoughts. The superstitious confidence 
which many people put in dreams is in the 
highest degree unphilosophical, and has not a 
shadow of evidence in its favor. Late eating 
and deficient physical exercise are the most com- 
mon causes of bad dreams, which are also a 
symptom of disease. 



Nerves 

The Sympathetic Nerves 

Q. What are the sympathetic nerves or the 
so-called sympathetic nervous system? 

A. This system is made up of a series of 
small ganglia found in the head and on either 
side of the spinal column within the cavities of 
the trunk. The ganglia are all connected by 
small fibres, so that they are sometimes spoken 
of as being a single nerve, the great sympathetic. 
Their fibres follow the blood-vessels in great 
numbers, starting with them as they go out 
from the heart. A large collection of sympathetic 
nerves found just back of the stomach, is known 
as the solar plexus. This system is closely con- 
nected with the cerebro-spinal system. It largely 
controls the functions of the heart, bloodvessels, 
stomach, liver and other vital organs. 

Neuron 

Q. What is a neuron? 

A. A neuron or nerve cell is the unit of the 
nervous system of the body. It consists of three 
parts ; a body, arms or branches known as "dend- 
rites" and one very long arm called the "axon." 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 87 

A nerve cell is strictly comparable to a small 
battery or a battery cell. In its body is gen- 
erated nerve energy, much as a battery cell or 
a dynamo generates electricity. . The axon con- 
ducts the nerve energy as a wire conducts elec- 
tricity. The dendrites are receiving organs, like 
the antennae of the wireless apparatus. The 
dendrites of one cell form contacts with one or 
more axons of other cells. A nerve cell is also 
comparable to a central telephone station ; it both 
receives and sends out messages. It differs from 
a telephone station essentially in the fact that 
while it may receive messages from many di- 
rections through its numerous branching dend- 
rites, it has but one wire on which to send out 
its messages. But this one wire may make con- 
tacts with many different cells. 

Nerve Energy 

Q. What is nerve energy? 

A. The energy generated by nerve cells was 
once supposed to be identical with electricity, 
but it is now known that this is not true. Nerve 
energy travels much more slowly than does elec- 
tricity. The rate at which a nerve impulse 
travels is only about one hundred feet a second, 
whereas electricity travels at the rate of 280,000 
miles a second. 

Nerve energy differs from electricity in an- 



88 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

other important particular. Electricity will 
travel on any moist or metallic substance. Nerve 
force will travel on nothing but nerves — axons 
or neurons. If a nerve is cut, the current of 
nerve energy is at once interrupted and is not 
restored, even if the ends are pressed together 
every so closely. The nerve conductor is re- 
stored only by actual repair and restoration of 
the continuity of the living conducting path. 
Electricity, on the other hand, requires only a 
good contact to insure conduction. 

When examined under a microscope, a healthy 
nerve cell is seen to contain a number of minute, 
glistening granules. Certain coloring matters 
are readily taken up by these granules so that 
they may be made easily visible under the micro- 
scope and thus their number readily estimated. 
Professor Hodge, an eminent physiologist, has 
demonstrated by a minute study of the nerve 
cells of swallows that there is a great loss of cell 
substance after the bird has been for hours 
active on the wing. These observations, with 
numerous others, have definitely proved that the 
granules represent stored energy. 

Mental energy, like nerve energy, of which 
it is only one form, depends upon the energy 
granules stored up in the cells. 

Mental capacity depends upon the number of 
brain cells and the number of groupings formed 
by connecting or so-called "association" fibres. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 89 

Fatigue 

Q. What is fatigue? 

A. A cell through its activity consumes itself, 
just as a battery uses up the elements of which 
it is composed. The exhausted cell is diminished 
in size and it has a much smaller number of 
energy granules than does the rested cell. 

The nerve cell which has used up its store of 
energy so that its output is very small, or has 
ceased altogether, is in a state of partial or com- 
plete exhaustion. 

When fatigue is the result of work, rest is 
demanded. If one continues to work when tired 
a wasteful expenditure of energy occurs. L. 
Zuntz, of Berlin, has shown that when one is 
fatigued the amount of energy required for the 
performance of a given task is greatly increased. 
For example, if one walking at the rate of three 
miles an hour expends seventy-five units of 
energy for each mile when fresh, after walking 
for some time and becoming weary, the energy 
expended per mile will be ninety calories or even 
more. The explanation of this increased energy 
expenditure is found in the fact that when one 
becomes tired he uses a larger number of muscles 
for performing the same work than when fresh. 



90 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Fatigue Poisons 

Q. What are fatigue poisons? 

A. Laboratory experiments have demon- 
strated that an exhausted muscle may be com- 
pletely rested by simply washing it, showing that 
the exhausted muscle contains some element the 
removal of which restores the ability of the 
muscle to work. It has been noted, also, that 
if the muscles of the legs are worked to the ex- 
tent of exhaustion the arms also become tired, 
even though they have taken no part in the work. 
Professor Ranke found that an extract prepared 
from exhausted frog muscles produced fatigue 
when introduced into the circulation of fresh 
muscles. These experiments have led to the con- 
clusion that poisons result from the activities of 
the cell. These fatigue poisons lessen the cell's 
working power. 

Neurasthenic Fatigue 

Q. What is the most common cause of 
fatigue ? 

A. There are two forms of fatigue. 

1. The natural feeling of weariness or ex- 
haustion which results from long work or ac- 
tivity. 

2. A sense of exhaustion or "good for noth- 
ingness" which is not the result of work and is 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 91 

not relieved by rest — a very common symptom 
of neurasthenia. Natural fatigue is an acute 
condition but "the tired feeling" of the neu- 
rasthenic is a chronic condition and an unna- 
tural state which no amount of rest will cure. 
Both forms of fatigue are due to poisoning. 
There is in the brain a nerve center known as 
the fatigue center. When work is done poisons 
accumulate in the tissues and when the poisons 
have accumulated to a sufficient degree they ex- 
cite the fatigue center and thus call attention 
to the fact that the body requires rest. These 
products are known as fatigue poisons. 

Proper rest, especially if accompanied by 
sleep, quickly relieves fatigue by giving the blood 
an opportunity to wash poisons out of the tissues 
and for the liver and kidneys to destroy and re- 
move them. The poisons that give rise to 
chronic fatigue are the result of the putrefaction 
of undigested and unused foodstuffs in the colon, 
and particularly undigested remnants of flesh 
food. This is why a person feels languid and 
tired when constipated, even when he has not 
worked. It is also the cause of the great ex- 
haustion and weakness in a person suffering 
from diarrhoea or looseness of the bowels. Neu- 
rasthenics are often continually tired, frequent- 
ly to the point of exhaustion, when they have 
done no work. In such cases the fatigue is due 
to the poisons resulting from chronic colitis or 



92 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

other infections of the colon. Doctor Lee, of 
New York, showed that indol and skatol, the 
poisons which give to fecal matters their offensive 
odor, ere powerful fatigue poisons. 

Constipation is a much more common cause of 
fatigue than is over work. Neurasthenic business 
men imagine that they are being worn out by 
business cares and labors, because they are tired ; 
whereas the real cause of their ex- 
haustion is an overloaded condition of the colon. 
The temporary relief which such persons often 
seek in periodical visits to mineral water resorts 
is due to the laxative effects of the waters which 
temporarily unload from their bodies the poisons 
with which their tissues are saturated. This re- 
lief is only temporary however, for the use of 
mineral waters sooner or later results in colitis 
and an aggravation of the troubles for which re- 
lief is sought. 

The bowels must be made to move regularly 
three or four times a day by the use of agar-agar, 
bran preparations or paraffin. The free use of 
meat is a common cause of after dinner fatigue. 

Many business men are unable to perform 
work of any kind after eating a hearty meal. A 
member of the Supreme bench of a western state, 
who had for several years been unable to do men- 
tal work for several hours after his midday meal, 
discovered after discarding flesh foods that he 
was able to work as easily and efficiently after 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 93 

dinner as in the morning. A prominent surgeon 
of the writer's acquaintance who had been un- 
able to do any sort of professional work for 
several hours after his midday meal, after tak- 
ing for the first time a dinner from which meat 
was excluded remarked: "There is something 
very remarkable about that dinner. I ate 
heartily but I feel just as well as I did before 
dinner and just as fit for work.'' This busy 
surgeon was so delighted with the discovery of 
a means by which his working capacity might 
be doubled that he discarded flesh meats of all 
sorts at once and has been a flesh abstainer ever 
since. He declared that he experienced so great 
an increase in capacity for work and general 
sense of well being that he feels quite like an- 
other man. The writer easily might cite hun- 
dreds of similiar instances. 

A short hot bath is one of the most efficient 
means of relieving a sense of fatigue, whether 
produced by exhausting work, or the result of 
chronic toxemia or neurasthenia. The bath must 
be short however, not more than two or three 
minutes, and should be followed by a dash over 
the body with cool or tepid water. Very cold 
water should never be used in conditions of 
fatigue for the reason that the expenditure of 
nervous energy required to produce reaction is 



94 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

absent, and reaction is likely to fail. Prolonged 
cold applications will still further exhaust the en- 
feebled nerve centers. 

Heat and Fatigue 

Q. Is heat the cause of fatigue? 

A. A condition which closely resembles 
fatigue is the depression which results from ex- 
cessive heat. The direct effect of heat upon liv- 
ing cells is stimulation. Heat, like cold, is an 
excitant, but the effect upon the nervous system 
of an overheated atmosphere, or a prolonged hot 
bath, is highly depressing. 

Neuritis 

Q. What is the cause and the best remedy 
for neuritis? 

A. Neuritis is produced from many causes. 
A bruise or exposure to cold may produce in- 
flammation of a nerve. The most common cause 
are poisons absorbed from the colon, which may 
give rise to so-called inflammation of a nerve 
which may become chronic. Another cause is 
focal infection, often diseased teeth or tonsils. 

The most valuable of all remedies is heat. 
Heat kills pain. Very hot fomentations should 
be given morning and night, or better still, three 
times a day. Care should be taken to avoid ex- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 95 

posure of the affected parts to cold which 
greatly aggravates pain. 

The electric light bath and other hot baths 
are beneficial, but must not be too prolonged 
as they may produce a depressing effect. Acute 
neuritis requires rest. Chronic neuritis is bene- 
fited by exercise and massage. In this respect 
neuritis differs from rheumatism. Rheumatism 
requires rest of the affected parts. The in- 
creased movement of the blood resulting from 
exercise is highly beneficial in neuritis. The 
cause of neuritis should be combated by dis- 
carding tobacco, if this drug is used, and tea, 
coffee, condiments and poisons of all sorts. Meats 
of all kinds must be disused, not only because of 
the poisons which they contain but because of 
the poisons which result from the putrefaction 
of the undigested remnants of flesh foods re- 
maining in the colon. The flora must be changed 
and the bowels must be made to move three or 
four times a day by the free use of bran or 
bran preparations or agar-agar and paraffin. 

Oiling the Skin 

Q. Does oil fatten and build up the nerves 
when rubbed on the body? 

A. No, it has no effect at.all in that way. The 
rubbing improves the circulation and the general 
nutrition, nothing more. 



96 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Flushed Face 

Q. What causes the face to become red 
during the middle of the day with great lassi- 
tude and lack of nerve force? 

A. The symptoms mentioned are due to vaso- 
motor disturbance, one of the most common 
causes of which is intestinal intoxication. 

Remedy for Flushed Face 

Q. What will relieve flushing of the face? 

A. An antitoxic diet; that is, a diet in which 
meat is entirely excluded, including fish and fowl 
and an increase of bowel activity. The bowels 
should move three times a day. Bathe the face 
with very hot water. 

Hot Flashes 

Q. What can be done for hot flashes? 

A. Hot flashes are due to a disturbance of 
the sympathetic nervous system. 

The best measures of treatment are an out- 
door life and improvement of the general health. 
Special attention should be given to the bowels 
which should be made to move three or four 
times a day by regulation of the diet and the 
use of simple measures, such as agar-ajar 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 97 

and bran and some good preparation of paraffin. 
A neutral bath taken at night often proves very 
valuabL. The temperature of the bath should 
be 96° to 92° F. and the duration from thirty 
to forty minutes. Take every morning a cold 
towel rub. If thin in flesh, try to gain in weight 
by increasing the amount of starchy food and 
fat in the diet. 

Neurasthenic Gait 

Q. Is a person suffering from neurasthenia 
in danger of becoming afflicted with locomotor 
ataxia? 

A. No. The incoordination, or the un- 
steadiness of gait, sometimes observed in neu- 
rasthenia is due to weakness of the nerve 
centers, and disappears with recovery. 

Is Neurasthenia a Disease 

Q. Is neurasthenia a distinct disease? 

A. It is not really a distinct malady in the 
sense that typhoid fever, small pox, pulmonary 
tuberculosis and pneumonia are diseases, but is 
rather a symptom or group of symptoms result- 
ing from disease. Or, to speak more accurately, 
it is a group of symptoms that are not con- 
nected with a definite morbid condition, but 
that may accompany various morbid states — 



98 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

just as fever with its accompanying headache, 
rapid pulse, high temperature, hot skin and 
prostration is not a disease, but rather an indi- 
cation of the presence of disease, the character 
and seat of which may vary greatly. 

Neurasthenia is simply a state of exhaustion 
of the vital resources, the result of neglecting 
to conform to the great biologic laws which 
have control over the functions of the mind and 
body, just as the law of gravitation controls the 
movements of the planets. 

Cause of Neurasthenia 

Q. What is the cause of neurasthenia? 

A. Neurasthenia is generally attributed to 
over work. In the writer's experience cases of 
neurasthenia due to over work are extremely 
rare. Indeed the author does not feel certain 
that he has ever encountered a case of this sort. 
It is not over work, but over civilization and 
useless waste of energy in worry and in other 
ways that produce neurasthenia. Work is 
physiological. The damages that result from 
work, even from over work, are readily repaired 
by rest and sleep, Nature's efficient remedies for 
the consequences of over-activity. 

Every tired person is for the time being neu- 
rasthenic. His store of nerve energy is ex- 
hausted, his efficiency is impaired; but a period 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 99 

of rest, with a few hours' sleep, completely re- 
stores him to his normal state. This is true 
of a healthy man; but a neurasthenic is tired 
when he has not worked, perhaps even feels 
worse after he has slept. So it is plain that the 
neurasthenic is suffering from something more 
than over work. His fatigue is not of a sort 
that is cured by rest or sleep. He is chronically 
tired usually as the result of the absorption of 
poisons from his colon. 

Neurasthenia of Sedentary Persons 

Q. Does neurasthenia especially affect 
sedentary persons? 

A. Among 604 neurasthenics there were 
found : — ■ 

Merchants and manufacturers 198 

Clerks 130 

Professors and teachers 68 

Students 50 

Officers 38 

Artists 33 

Without profession 19 

Medical men 17 

Agriculturalists 17 

Clergy 10 

Men of science and learning 6 

Schoolboys 6 

Working men 6 



100 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

That muscular work, even excessive, is not a 
common cause of neurasthenia is clearly shown 
by clinical experience. The above table shows 
only one neurasthenic from the working class to 
more than a hundred from men leading sedentary 
lives. 

Can One Inherit Neurasthenia 

Q. Is neurasthenia an inherited condition? 

A. Neurasthenia is not hereditary, but an in- 
creasingly large proportion of the population is 
born with a predisposition to neurasthenia and 
other neuroses. This predisposition is, of course, 
not curable. It is a personal characteristic as 
definite and ineradicable as the color of the hair 
or the eyes; but if the predisposition cannot be 
removed, its outward manifestations may be in- 
definitely postponed or altogether prevented. 
Probably most neurasthenics are born with a pre- 
disposition to the disease, although it is also 
probable that any person may become a neu- 
rasthenic if the exciting causes of this condition 
are applied with sufficient intensity and for a 
sufficient length of time. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 101 

Causes of Headache 

Q. What are the usual causes of headache? 

A. Among the most common types of head- 
ache are: 

1. Neurasthenic headache. 

This headache is not a sharp pain but a 
pressure at the back or top of the head, often 
described as a band about the head. 

2. "Sinus" headache; a form of headache 
generally located just above the eyes and due to 
a diseased condition of some of the sinuses con- 
nected with the nose. 

3. Rheumatic headache; due to the absorption 
of pus from some focus of infection which may 
be the tonsils, teeth, suppurating ear, or a dis- 
eased colon. 

4. Nervous or migraine headache; sometimes 
called sick headache due to toxins absorbed from 
the colon and always associated with intestinal 
stasis or constipation. 

Nervous Headache— Migraine — Bilious 
Headache 

Q. What is the cause of nervous headache? 

A. The so-called nervous headache is not 
an affection of the nerves but a sign of toxemia. 
This is certainly true in the great majority of 
cases, if indeed there are exceptions to the rule. 



102 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The ordinary cause of headache is the absorp- 
tion into the system of poisons due to stagnation 
in some part of the intestines, resulting in ab- 
sorption of poisonous matter generated by the 
putrefaction of the delayed fecal material. In 
many cases the stasis or stagnation occurs in the 
upper part of the colon or cecum. X-ray exami- 
nations show in practically all cases of chronic 
nervous headache incompetency of the ileocecal 
valve; that is, the small intestine is no longer 
shut off from the large intestine, because of over- 
stretching of the bowel. The opening at the junc- 
tion of the small intestine with the colon is so 
greatly enlarged that the check-valve which nor- 
mally exists at this point is rendered inoperative 
so that the putrefying fecal matters found in the 
colon back up into the small intestine. So long 
as the poisonous materials remain in the colon 
comparatively little harm is done for the reason 
that the mucous membrane of the colon appears 
to act as a very efficient filter, holding back the 
poisonous matters which are present in the colon 
contents, and permitting absorption only of water 
and harmless substances. The small intestine is 
not so well prepared and at the same time ab- 
sorbs with very great rapidity. The small in- 
testine for example, absorbs five or six quarts of 
liquid every twenty-four hours and the greater 
part of this absorption takes place in the lower 
part of the small intestine or the part adjacent 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 103 

to the colon. The colon absorbs only a few 
ounces of liquid each twenty-four hours. The 
constant presence of incompetency of the ileocecal 
valve in cases of nervous headache or migraine 
gives good ground to suspect that this defect is 
one of the important causes of this distressing 
malady. Sufferers from this disease are also 
chronically constipated, or experience alternations 
of diarrhoea and constipation. 

Bouchard, who originated the doctrine of auto- 
intoxication, was one of the first to call attention 
to the relation of migraine to intestinal toxemia, 
and he stated : 

"I believe that nine-tenths of the migraines 
are of dyspeptic origin, produced by a primary 
intestinal intoxication. The effect may be made 
to disappear by the administration of caffeine or 
antipyrin, but the cause remains. The patient 
feels his pains immediately lessen, but they rarely 
disappear entirely ; often they reappear more vio- 
lently than ever. But what we must endeavor to 
do is to prevent a return of this crisis, and to se- 
cure this it is necessary that all putrid fer- 
mentation be expunged from the intestinal canal 
during digestion. If we can make the dyspepsia 
disappear, we heal the migraine." 



104 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Treatment of Migraine 

Q. What is the best treatment of migraine? 

A. Recent observations indicate that mi- 
graine in many cases is due- to anaphylaxis. In 
many instances the attacks are due to the absorp- 
tion of protein; the protein of milk and eggs 
seems especially likely to produce an attack. 

Of greatest importance is particular atten- 
tion to the bowels, which should be made to 
move freely at least two or three times a day. 
It is the usual experience of sufferers from 
migraine that an attack is preceded by consti- 
pation. In cases in which this symptom is not 
observed, a sluggish state of the bowels probably 
exists, although not apparent to the patient. Ad- 
ministration of an enema in such cases generally 
leads to the discovery that the cecum is filled with 
decomposing food remnants, which have been re- 
tained for some days in this dilated portion of the 
colon. The free use of fruit is a matter of very 
great consequence in migraine, -and an exclusive 
fruit diet will almost certainly secure complete 
relief from suffering so long as it is maintained ; 
but of course such a diet cannot be continued in- 
definitely, though the disease can be greatly 
benefited. 

Migraine is now generally recognized as one 
of the symptoms of intestinal autointoxication. 
Poisons absorbed from the intestine circulate in 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 105 

the blood and are excreted in the stomach, giv- 
ing rise to nausea, gastric irritation, nervous 
exhaustion and other general symptoms as well 
as local pain. Where an attack of migraine is 
threatened, a repeated enema should be admin- 
istered, and in many cases the attack can be 
shortened by some quickly-acting laxative, as a 
seidlitz powder or a dose of sulphur. 

Gastric lavage may also be administered with 
great advantage. Nearly always a considerable 
quantity of acrid material is found in the stom- 
ach even when no food has been taken, and after 
free vomiting. There is reason to believe that in 
migraine poisonous substances absorbed from 
the colon are excreted into the stomach in con- 
siderable quantity and the resulting gastric 
irritation is one of the causes of the distress- 
ing symptoms experienced by the patient. The 
water employed in the gastric lavage should be at 
a temperature of about 105° F., at least not 
less than this. Great relief is generally ex- 
perienced when the lavage is administered 
promptly at the very beginning of the attack. 

Migraine is, without doubt, a result of er- 
roneous habits of life. It is a malady which 
particularly effects sedentary persons, hence is 
found among professional people. The use of 
tea and coffee, the use of flesh foods or a high 
protein diet are unquestionably the great causes 
of migraine, and of course the disease will not 



106 A THOUSAND OUESTIONS ANSWERED 

be cured so long as these practices are con- 
tinued. 

Attacks of migraine, when once begun, cannot 
be abruptly stopped, although the patient's suffer- 
ing may be greatly mitigated and the attack may 
be abbreviated. The time to cure an attack of 
migraine is before it begins, and this is true of 
headache in general. A thorough bowel move- 
ment three times a day, a careful adherence to 
an antitoxic diet, excluding both milk and eggs 
as well as meat, are most effective measures for 
combating "sick headache.' 

Neuralgia 

Q. What is neuralgia? How may the pain 
be relieved? 

A. Neuralgia may be caused by malnutri- 
tion, impoverishment of the blood, an excess of 
protein in the diet, autointoxication through the 
absorption from the colon of the products of 
putrefaction. An eminent French physician has 
stated that pain is the cry of a hungry nerve 
for better blood. The best way to secure better 
blood is to live an active outdoor life. Better 
blood is secured by careful regulation of the 
dietary, avoiding all irritant and poison-contain- 
ing foods, by thorough mastication of food, and 
a sufficient amount of exercise daily in the open 
air to secure moderate perspiration; the cold 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 107 

bath every morning on rising, and an abund- 
ance of fresh air during the night secured by 
opening wide the windows of the bedroom or 
by sleeping outdoors. 

For temporary relief heat is the best of all 
remedies. It cannot be too often repeated that 
heat kills pain. Applications of heat may be ap- 
plied in a great variety of ways, as by hot fo- 
mentations, hot water bags, hot sand bags, hot 
poultices, photophore, incandescent electric light, 
arc light and diathermy. The last named remedy 
is a modification of the wireless electricity and 
is especially useful in cases of deep seated neu- 
ralgia, visceral neuralgia, which cannot always 
be relieved by external hot applications. By 
means of diathermy heat may be supplied to any 
internal part, no matter how deeply seated. Three 
bowel movements daily, and a hot bath every 
night, and cold bath and vigorous friction every 
morning, and careful adherence to simple life 
rules are effective remedies. 

In making hot applications for relief of neu- 
ralgia it is important to remember that the water 
must be as hot as the patient can bear it. 
The application should be so hot as to make it 
necessary to take it off and put it on two or 
three times, until the patient's skin can bear it 
a little better. Commencing the application at 
about 110° F., the skin will gradually acquire a 
tolerance for heat until a temperature from 140° 



108 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

to 160° F. can be borne. Facial neuralgia, neu- 
ralgia of the stomach, intestines, or bladder, 
lumbago, sciatica, in fact, almost any form of 
neuralgia, is relieved by the application of in- 
tense heat. It must be remembered also that the 
hot treatment is not to be continued indefinitely 
— fifteen or twenty minutes is sufficiently long, 
and it should be immediately followed by the 
application of a towel or compress wrung very 
dry from ice-water and left in place thirty 
seconds. The parts should then be covered with 
dry flannel, which will greatly prolong the ef- 
fect of the hot application. 

Tic Doloureux 

Q. What is the best treatment for tic 
doloureux, or trifacial neuralgia? 

A. In bad cases it is necessary to destroy 
the nerve by injecting alcohol into the nerve 
trunk. In some cases, the disease disappears 
if the bowels are made to move well three 
times a day, and the diet confined to fruits, 
grains, nuts and vegetables. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 109 

Prickling Sensations 

Q. What is the cause of prickling sen- 
sations? 

A. Hot flashes, cold sensations, prickling, 
smarting, "electric thrills" and a great variety 
of other perversions of sensations are ex- 
perienced by certain classes of neurasthenics. 
While all these symptoms are sometimes ex- 
perienced by those suffering from organic nerv- 
ous diseases, their occurrence in neurasthenia 
has no other significance than a disturbed cir- 
culation of the nerve trunks. 

Shingles — Herpes Zoster 

Q. What causes shingles? 

A. This peculiar and very painful disease is 
due to inflammation of a nerve trunk believed 
to be the result of infection. The most com- 
mon seat of the disease is the side. The erup- 
tion follows the course of the inter-costal nerve. 
A single nerve trunk of the leg or any other 
part of the body may be the seat of the inflam- 
mation. At the beginning of the disease very 
hot applications applied over the affected parts 
give the most relief. 

If for example, the shingles affects the side, 
the most common seat, the fomentations should 
go two thirds the way around the body, and 



1 10 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

should reach from the armpit to the hip. The 
affected part itself should be covered first with 
a little dry cotton or cheese cloth, and then by 
mackintosh or a piece of newspaper folded to 
three or four thicknesses. After the fomenta- 
tions, rub the sound skin over the whole sur- 
face that has been reddened with the hand 
or a soft napkin dipped in very cold water. 
Continue the rubbing about half a minute, fre- 
quently dipping the hand in the cold water. 
Then dry the parts, and dust the inflamed sur- 
face with starch and cover with soft, cotton or 
with a mass of soft cheese cloth. Apply a 
bandage around the body just tight enough to 
hold the cotton in place. This may be repeated 
three or four times a day, and will afford very 
great relief; but the disease has a definite 
course the same as measles, whooping-cough, 
and many other diseases. After a few days 
the eruption will disappear. 

The parts which have been inflamed are fre- 
quently the seat of disagreeable neuralgic pains 
for some weeks or even months after an at- 
tack. For this apply very hot fomentations three 
or four times a day and the heating compress 
during the interval and at night. The heating 
compress consists of a napkin or small towel 
wrung dry out of very cold water, and applied 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 1 1 1 

over the part, covered first with mackintosh, 
and then with flannels so as to keep it very 
warm. 

Sciatica 

Q. What is sciatica and what is the best 
method of treatment for this condition? 

A. Sciatica is a painful affection of the 
sciatic nerve or large nerve which supplies the 
back part of the thigh and also the leg. 

The pain and suffering caused by this dis- 
ease is often most distressing. Fortunately it 
may generally be relieved. 

A very hot bath is a most excellent remedy 
for relieving the pain of sciatica. The patient 
sits in an ordinary tub with the limbs extended 
and the water deep enough to reach the um- 
bilicus. The temperature of the water is grad- 
ually raised until as hot as can possibly be borne. 
The duration of the bath should be two to ten 
minutes. At the end the temperature may be 
reduced to 80° F. for half a minute. The pa- 
tient should be then put in bed and wrapped up 
warmly. Hot fomentations over the painful 
parts, the arc light, photophore, thermophore, 
galvanism and massage are other measures which 
may be used advantageously. Sometimes 
sciatica is due to intestinal autointoxication. 

Most persons suffering from sciatica are sub- 
jects of chronic constipation. One of the most 



112 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

effective measures of combating the disease is 
to change the intestinal flora and to secure nor- 
mal bowel activity, that is, three or four full 
bowel movements daily. The patient should 
adopt permanently a strictly anti-toxic diet. 
A person who suffers pain in the hip which does 
not rapidly yield to treatment should submit him- 
self to examination by a competent x-ray spe- 
cialist. Pain in this region is not infrequently 
due to sarcoma or some other form of malignant 
disease, or to tuberculosis. 

How the Mind May Cause Disease 

Q. How does the mind affect the body in 
producing disease? 

A. Recent scientific experiments show that 
joy, sorrow, anger and fear, as well as other 
emotional states, are powerful forces which may 
exalt or depress bodily functions as quickly and 
as powerfully as the most potent drugs or the 
most active physical agents. Joyful emotions 
heighten the activity of all the bodily functions. 
Under the influence of joy the small arteries 
and capillaries dilate, and every organ receives 
an increased and more active blood supply. 
Through the influence of joy upon the muscular 
system there is not only an increased disposi- 
tion to activity, but an increased capacity for 
effort and endurance. The heart beats stronger, 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 1 13 

the brain thinks clearer, breathing is deeper, 
digestion more active, the eyes brighten, the 
cheeks glow — the whole body rejoices and pros- 
pers under the influence of a peaceful, con- 
tented and joyous mental state. 

Sorrow produces a bodily condition quite the 
opposite of that produced by joy. Under the 
influence of sadness, all the bodily functions 
are depressed. The muscular system is relaxed 
and weakened. The sorrowful individual has 
the appearance of one who is exhausted or 
fatigued. The frequent sigh is simply Nature's 
effort to make up by deep breaths the loss of 
oxygen which results from the decreased ac- 
tivity of the chest. There is a physiologic basis 
for the current expression, "Weighted down with 
sorrow." 

The effect of sorrow upon the internal or- 
gans is most profound. The external blood- 
vessels are contracted, causing pallor or some- 
times a livid appearance, due to diminished cir- 
culation through the skin; the hands and feet 
are often cold, and the secretions are diminished. 



114 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Worry and Exhaustion 

Q. Why does worry cause exhaustion and 
depression? 

A. Worry is a sort of mental short-circuit- 
ing which rapidly exhausts the nerve centers, 
draining them of their energy and unfitting the 
body for useful effort. Experiments have 
demonstrated that depressing emotions are far 
more powerful causes of wear and tear to nerve 
centers than is healthy brain work. According 
to Mosso's observations, the effect of vigorous 
intellectual activity upon the brain is far less 
than that of a disturbing emotion. Mental work, 
combined with worry and anxiety, tears down 
the nerve centers, exhausts their stores of en- 
ergy, and cripples' their ability to recuperate; 
but it is not the work itself which does the 
mischief; it is the cross-fire, the short circuit, 
the confusing and harassing influence oi dis- 
turbing emotions, which exhaust the nerve 
forces and prevent the brain from repairing its 
losses. 

Mental Healing 

Q. Is "mental healing" possible? 

A. The success of various classes of mind 
healers with certain invalids affords most con- 
vincing evidence that a large number of per- 
sons suffer from maladies which have their chief 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 115 

seat in a morbid imagination or a wrong mental 
attitude. Thousands of neurasthenics are made 
miserable by depressing symptoms which are 
the outgrowth of a disordered state of the 
nervous system, and which have no organic 
foundation. Morbid sensations which are dis- 
tressing and even highly painful in these pa- 
tients not infrequently disappear instantly when 
some happy circumstance produces a favorable 
change in the patient's state of mind. On the 
other hand, an unfavorable mental change may 
bring about at once an aggravation of symptoms 
present or may induce a wholly new crop of un- 
pleasant sensations. Every physician of ex- 
perience has encountered such cases, 

How to Cure Worry 

Q. How can one overcome a disposition to 
worry? 

A. The man who worries because of the 
threatened collapse of an important business en- 
terprise, to the building up of which his whole 
life has been devoted, may not be relieved until 
the threatened danger is averted or the crisis 
passed. The man who is suffering from phy- 
sical deterioration, because of chronic toxemia, 
must be renovated physically. Poison habits 
must be abandoned. A natural antitoxic diet- 
ary must be substituted for his customary pois- 



116 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

on-laden bill of fare. The bowels must, by nat- 
ural means, be made to move three or four 
times a day, thus ridding the body of the in- 
fluence of worry-producing poisons. There 
must be a complete revolution in living habits, 
and a thoroughgoing adoption of simple-life 
principles of living. By this means a general 
physical regeneration may be produced, with the 
development of which the disposition to worry 
will gradually disappear as the cause is removed, 
until finally a normal, happy mental state is es- 
tablished. 

Diversion is one of the most valuable remedies 
for worry. Concentration of the attention upon 
some wholesome subject is of utmost import- 
ance as a means of combating worry, whether 
due to present physical or mental causes or 
merely habit. Constant occupation of some sort 
is essential as an aid to diversion. Manual 
work is best. 

Night Noise 

Q. Are night noises injurious if one is able 
to sleep in spite of them? 

A. That noise may be a cause of disease is 
no longer questioned by pathologists. Certain 
persons get used to noises, no matter of what 
sort, when long exposed to them, and seem to 
suffer no injury; but even these persons are 
being damaged more or less by the constant ham- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 117 

mering upon their nerve centers through the 
auditory nerves. Nerve centers need rest quite 
as much as do muscles. 

Sound, restful sleep in the presence of noise 
is impossible. A person who lives in the midst 
of noise gets no really complete rest day or 
night; asleep or awake, the nerve centers are 
constantly receiving a torrent of irritating im- 
pulses. This incessant nerve nagging gives no 
opportunity for recuperative rest. 

Fear 

Q. Is there any relation between fear and 
disease ? 

A. There is no doubt that fear, worry and 
other depressing emotions — anxiety, sorrow, ap- 
prehension, pain and suspense are active causes 
in producing disease. Doctor Jensen, an emin- 
ent London physician, by careful analysis of the 
symptoms resulting from these depressing emo- 
tions, has discovered that their effects are sim- 
ilar to those resulting from severe surgical 
shock. The l^lood vessels of the intestines be- 
come paralyzed, the blood accumulates in these 
parts, robbing the brain and other vital organs of 
their natural blood supply and so producing 
mental inefficiency, shortness of breath and a 
general condition resembling fatigue. This disten- 
sion of the blood vessels of the intestine encour- 
age: the absorption of the poisons generated i. 



1 18 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

the intestine, while at the same time increasing 
the production of poisons by impairing the di- 
gestive functions. The extreme dryness of the 
mouth which usually accompanies a state of fear 
is strong evidence of the correctness of Doctor 
Jensen's theory, being due to the fact that the 
general tissues of the body including the sali- 
vary glands are robbed of their normal blood 
supply and drained of their fluids which are 
accumulated to an extraordinary degree in the 
abdominal organs. This theory accounts for the 
well-known fact that the milk of a nursing 
woman is made poisonous to the infant by an 
outburst of anger or a severe fright. 

The fact that fear and other depressing emo- 
tions produce these physical changes in the 
body emphasizes the great importance of elim- 
nating this cause of disease and especially in 
the protection of sick persons against its malig- 
nant influence by optimistic suggestion and 
through encouragement and cheerful surround- 
ings. 

• 
Prolapsed Stomach and Bowels 

Q. Does prolapse of the stomach and 
bowels produce neurasthenia? 

A. Weakness of the trunk muscles, resulting 
in a sagging of the abdominal wall and a pro- 
lapse of the viscera, must be regarded as one of 
the causes of gastric or splanchnic neurasthenia 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 119 

— one of the most common results of a sedentary 
life. The deforming bulge of the lower ab- 
domen is most commonly seen in persons of se- 
dentary habits. It is most common in women, 
but professional men of all classes very fre- 
quently present the same ungainly shape of body 
and suffer from the natural consequence — 
splanchnic engorgement and visceral neuras- 
thenia. 

Treatment of the Narcotic Habit 

Q. What is the best way to get rid of a 
narcotic habit? 

A. The best means of ridding oneself of the 
alcohol, tea, coffee, or tobacco habit is to adopt 
a dry dietary, making free use of fruits, es- 
pecially fresh fruits, also stewed fruits and fruit 
juices. Flesh foods and animal broths and ex- 
tracts unquestionably excite the nerves, and 
create a demand for the soothing effect of a 
narcotic. Hence a person who desires to free 
himself from the alcohol, the tobacco or the 
tea or coffee habit must first of all dispense with 
all flesh foods. Condiments must also be dis- 
carded, as these irritate and excite the nerves, 
creating a desire for the soothing effects of some 
narcotic drug. 

The nervousness and irritability which fol- 
lows the withdrawal of the accustomed drug may 
be wonderfully relieved by the prolonged neu- 



120 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

tral bath at a temperature of 94° to 90° F. The 
duration of the bath may be indefinite; several 
hours if necessary. If there is palpitation of the 
heart, or rapid pulse with a feeling of distress 
through the chest, this may be relieved by the ap- 
plication of an ice bag over the heart, by spong- 
ing the spine alternately with hot and cold water, 
or applying first hot and then cold compresses to 
the spine, alternating every minute. 

Baths for the Insane 

Q. Can insanity be cured by baths and 
diet? 

A. Certain forms of insanity are greatly bene- 
fited by the proper baths. This is particularly 
true of melancholia and mania. Acute forms of 
insanity generally recover under careful treat- 
ment, including baths, proper regulation of the 
diet, etc. Baths are now administered in all well- 
organized insane asylums. 

The prolonged neutral bath is of special value 
in the treatment of insanity. In a case of acute 
mania the neutral bath is superior to all remedies 
as a means of producing sleep. 

The patient is placed in the bath suspended 
in a hammock and is kept in the bath until he 
becomes quiet. At first a very prolonged ap- 
plication may be necessary ; two or three or even 
ten or twelve hours, but the patient sooner or 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 121 

later becomes quiet and falls into a refreshing 
sleep. The neutral bath is now recognized as the 
most valuable of all means to promote recovery 
in these cases. The shower bath and douche, both 
hot and cold, are also highly useful measures in 
various forms of insanity. At the present time 
drugs are very little used in the treatment of in- 
sane patients. In the New York State Hospital 
for the insane the electric light bath, the shower 
bath and the neutral bath are the principal meas- 
ures of treatment employed and are found to be 
so effective that drugs of all sorts have almost 
fallen into disuse. 

Locomotor Ataxia 

Q. What is the cause of locomotor 
ataxia? 

A. The most common cause is syphilis. It is 
one of the lat^. manifestations of infection of 
the body with the spirochete, the parasite to 
which the disease known as syphilis is due. It 
is barely possible that locomotor ataxia may be 
due to some other causes, but it is the general 
belief among physicians that this malady is rare- 
ly, if ever, attributable to any cause other than 
syphilitic infection. Syphilitic infection con- " 
tracted in youth is likely to be followed twenty 
or thirty years later by tabes dorsalis or locomotor 
ataxia. The infection may be inherited. 



122 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Remedy for Locomotor Ataxia 

Q. Is there any remedy for this disease? 
If so what? 

A. This disease being generally due to syph- 
ilitic infection it is evident that a person suffer- 
ing from locomotor ataxia should submit at once 
to a thoroughgoing examination by a competent 
physician. The Wasserman test should be ad- 
ministered. 

Other measures are also valuable. By proper 
gymnastic training the staggering gait may be 
greatly improved or overcome. The patient must 
live the simple life. 

Mind Blindness 

Q. What is meant by mind blindness? 

A. Mind blindness is a condition in which, al- 
though a person's eyesight is perfect, he is still 
unable to see. The eye and the optic nerve per- 
form their function properly, but the nerve center 
in the brain in which are stored the memories of 
sight no longer performs its function and so the 
object is not recognized, although it may be a 
most familiar one. Mind blindness may be re- 
lated to various objects or only to words. In 
some rare cases the mind blindness may relate to 
words of one language only, while words of an- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 123 

other language may be recognized promptly. This 
condition is due to an injury to a small portion 
of brain substance found near the anterior portion 
of the left side of the brain. Recovery sometimes 
occurs, although the injury is often permanent. 

Morning Depression 

Q. What is good for morning depression? 

A. A cold morning bath, properly ad- 
ministered, is a complete antidote for the morn- 
ing depression experienced by many neu- 
rasthenics. It is of the highest importance, how- 
ever, that the bath should be taken in a proper 
way. The average neurasthenic would be little 
likely to receive benefit from a plunge into a 
tub filled with cold water. Such a bath would 
likely be followed by an aggravation of symp- 
toms, increased pain, increased depression, in- 
creased disturbances of circulation, as shown by 
cold hands and feet, etc. A single trial would 
be sufficient to discourage further efforts in the 
direction of cold bathing. Neurasthenics are 
generally highly sensitive to the effects of cold 
water, and on this account it is necessary that 
several important precautions should receive 
careful attention. 



124 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Muscle Tone 

Q. What is meant by the term "muscle 
tone"? 

A. The living muscle is always at work. The 
controlling centers continually send out a 
rhythmic stream of impulses whereby the muscle 
is kept constantly in a state of contraction. This 
is muscle tone. When the nerve centers are full 
of energy and the muscles are in a healthy state, 
muscle tone is good ; that is, strong impulses are 
sent into strong muscles, and the result is strong 
muscular tension. In certain conditions of dis- 
ease when irritation of muscles or nerve centers 
exists, either as the result of the direct effect 
of diseased conditions or of reflex influence, 
tension may be enormously exaggerated, as may 
be seen, for example, in torticollis, writer's cramp, 
hysteria and in the tensed condition of the ab- 
dominal muscles accompanying disease of the 
appendix or inflammation of the gall bladder. 
Imperfectly developed muscles are deficient in 
tone. 

Unused muscles rapidly lose their normal 
tone. 

Overstrained muscles become relaxed, which 
is also true of muscles controlled by exhausted^ 
nerve centers. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 125 

Muscular Go-ordination 

Q. What is meant by muscular co-ordi- 
nation? 

A. The coordination of muscular movement 
is one of the results of training which is secured 
through the use of the muscular sense. 

Co-ordination denotes the association of various 
muscles in performing work, particularly such 
complicated acts as writing, walking or piano 
playing. A man who has lost the power of co- 
ordination in the legs, staggers when he walks. 
This is the cause of staggering in a drunken man 
or a man suffering from locomotor ataxia. Neu- 
rasthenics sometimes show this symptom slightly, 
especially in the hands. Inability to stand with 
the eyes closed is a test for inco-ordination. 

The loss of the muscle sense in locomotor 
ataxia leads to incoordination. It may be rede- 
veloped by training, which is of great importance 
in the treatment of locomotor ataxia and other 
conditions in which this function is disturbed. 
Every new association of muscles must be learned 
and perfected by repeated effort. These efforts 
are at first painful and exhausting, as for ex- 
ample in walking a crack or narrow plank. Writ- 
ing, piano-playing, typewriting and similar move- 
ments at first very quickly produce fatigue, hence 
should not be continued too long at a time. 



126 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Tea Taster's Disorder 

Q. What are the symptoms of chronic 
tea taster's disorder? 

A. An eminent New York neurologist gave 
the following description of the symptoms 
presented by a tea taster : 

"Headache is frequent, principally frontal and 
vertical; a ringing and buzzing in the ears is 
very constant; black spots often flit before the 
eyes, and he sees flashes of light. Vertigo also 
is very persistently present; he cannot look up 
at a clock on a steeple without staggering; in- 
somnia exists to a considerable extent ; he seldom 
has a good night's sleep, and he dreams much, 
but his dreams are of a pleasant character; 
he sometimes sees visions when not sleeping. 
Dyspepsia is more troublesome than any of the 
foregoing three symptoms. This, the patient 
assigns strictly to tea-tasting, since it is made 
worse by tea, and improves when he abstains 
from it, though now becoming confirmed. His 
appetite is captious, he feels heavy at the epi- 
gastrium, he has eructations and sour taste, and 
finds that certain kinds of food distress him. He 
has a frequent gurgling, and is in the habit of 
'working' his whole chest and abdomen to make 
the gas pass on. 

"His mental condition is peculiar. He lives in 
a state of dread that some accident may hap- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 127 

pen to him; in the omnibus, fears a collision; 
crossing the street, fears that he will be crushed 
by passing teams; walking on the sidewalks, 
fears that a brick wall may fall down and kill 
him; under the apprehension that every dog he 
meets is going to bite the calves of his legs, he 
carries an umbrella in all weather, as a de- 
fense against such an attack. He often dreads 
entering his office for fear of being told that 
some business friend has failed; and in short, 
lives in a state of constant foreboding of some 
impending evil. At times his left leg drags and 
feels numb, and he is conscious of an unsteady 
gait. He has also often a twitching of the 
muscles of the face and eyelids." 

Doctor Cole, of England, describes the cases of 
several individuals who were frequently found 
lying insensible as the result of tea-drinking. 
One case which he mentions was an author who 
was thus found two or three times a week. 

Tea and Coffee Neurasthenia 

Q. Does the use of tea and coffee cause 
neurasthenia ? 

A. Yes. The widespread use of tea and cof- 
fee in England and America and in other civil- 
ized countries is unquestionably a prolific cause 
of neurasthenia, especially in women who, on 
the whole, seem to be more susceptible to these 



128 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

drugs than are men, and more addicted to their 
use. 

A man or woman who cannot begin a day's 
work in comfort without one or two cups of 
tea or coffee, or who suffers from headache or 
nervousness when deprived of the accustomed 
beverage, is a tea or coffee neurasthenic and as 
much a drug habitue as a person who is addicted 
to the use of opium or cocaine. 

Yawning 

Q. What is the cause of yawning? 

A. Physiologists tell us that in the middle of 
the upper portion of the spinal cord there is 
a small nerve center which has charge of the 
back movement or group of movements which 
we call yawning. Just what brings this center 
into action nobody knows. It is a curious fact, 
however, that the disposition to yawn seems to 
be to a certain extent infectious. If one of a 
group of persons yawns another member of the 
group is almost certain to yawn a few minutes 
later. Yawning generally occurs when a per- 
son is weary or drowsy. Many persons are in- 
clined to yawn after eating. Bathing the face 
with cold water, drinking a glass of hot or cold 
water or some refreshing beverage will generally 
cause the disposition to yawn to disappear. 



Rheumatism 

Causes 

Q. What is the cause of rheumatism and 
what should be the diet and treatment for 
people suffering from rheumatism? 

A. The term rheumatism is somewhat loosely 
employed. It is applied to inflammatory con- 
ditions of the joints, to degenerative changes in 
the joints, and to painful affections of the nerves 
and muscles. These conditions are due to a 
great variety of causes, and hence cannot be 
considered as a single or well-defined disease. 
Inflammation of the joints is due to infection. 
Degenerative changes may be due to infection, 
or to the influence of toxins absorbed from the 
intestine, or from other parts. Rheumatism of 
the muscles and nerves is probably due in most 
cases to toxins, the most common source of 
which is the intestine. An infected condition of 
the tonsils is known to be a frequent cause of 
joint rheumatism. Colitis, infection of the colon 
— a frequent result of constipation — is very 
often associated with rheumatism. 

In general, the diet should be anti-toxic and 
laxative. That is, meats of all kinds and con- 
diments should be discarded, and the diet should 



130 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

be made bulky, consisting of fruits and vegetables. 
Potatoes and other vegetables and fresh fruits 
should chiefly compose the diet. 

Simple rheumatism is quite promptly cured by 
rest in bed and proper applications to the af- 
fected joints. The best measures are the fol- 
lowing. Apply very hot fomentations to the 
joints three times a day. A wet compress should 
be worn all the time, both day and night. Care 
should be taken to cover the compress to keep 
it very warm. The photophore or electric light 
is also an excellent means for treatment of rheu- 
matism. 

The great success of certain European 
springs in the treatment of rheumatism is chiefly 
due perhaps to the small amount of radium found 
in the water. 

It is, of course, important that the bowels 
should be kept active by the free use of bran 
and paraffin in addition to a laxative diet. The 
bowels should move three or four times a day. 
Most persons afflicted with rheumatism are 
suffering from colitis or chronic constipation. 
The tongue must be made clean and the breath 
sweet. 

The skin must be made active and the 
kidneys must be made to act freely by copious 
water drinking. A person should take three or 
four pints daily. Massage of the joints and ap- 
plications of electricity, electric light baths and 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 131 

tonic cold rubbings are of great service ^s 
curative measures. 

Deforming rheumatism, sometimes known as 
rheumatic gout, rheumatoid arthritis or osteo- 
arthritis is a degenerative disease and cannot 
often be entirely cured, though it may gener- 
ally be arrested. The best measures are those 
above mentioned as adapted to the treatment of 
rheumatism. The pains in the bones and carti- 
lages which accompany this form of rheumatism 
cannot be influenced by treatment. The sore- 
ness and pain in the joints can usually be re- 
lieved by hot applications and the use of the 
heating compress. 

Stiff Joints 

Q. What can be done for stiff joints? Can 
the motion be restored? 

A. There are two classes of stiff joints: I. 
Those in which the stiffness is due to adhesions 
in or around the joint, to adhesions or contrac- 
tions of muscles, to a floating cartilage in the 
joint or to growths due to osteo-arthritis or rheu- 
matic gout. 2. Those in which the ends of the 
bones forming the joints have become joined to- 
gether by bony union as a single bone. The con- 
dition of the joint may be determined by an 
x-ray examination. 

In cases of the first class, motion can usually 



132 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

be restored to the joint either by fomentations, 
massage and passive movements or by mobilizing 
the joint under anesthesia. Mobilization should 
not be attempted in cases in which the stiffness 
is due to tuberculous disease, in cases in which 
there is much heat without fluid in the joint, nor 
in cases in which the muscles are rigid or ad- 
herent. 

Any joint which is not absolutely stiff, which 
is not hot and contains no fluid may be forcibly 
mobilized under anesthesia without risk. 

A few surgeons have succeeded in restoring 
motion to joints which have been destroyed by 
union of the bones, but such joints are usually 
weak and troublesome and the results have been 
on the whole disappointing. 

Acute Rheumatism 

Q. What are the dangers from acute rheu- 
matism and what can be done? 

A. Acute rheumatism is rarely immediately 
fatal, but sometimes leaves the victim with 
difficulties which, sooner or later, terminate his 
life. This occurs whenever the heart becomes 
affected by the disease, which not infrequently 
happens. It does not result from a change of the 
seat of the malady from the joints to the heart, 
as is sometimes thought, but by an extension of 
the disease to the lining membrane of the heart. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 133 

In consequence of inflammation, the valves of 
the heart become thickened and contracted so 
that valvular organic disease of the heart results ; 
rheumatism, indeed, is the most common cause 
of this form of heart disease. The extension 
of the disease to the heart is indicated by the 
occurrence of acute pain in the left side, disturb- 
ance of the pulse, increase of fever, and 
increased frequency of respiration. Either one 
or all the joints in the body may participate in 
the inflammation. The joints are generally af- 
fected symmetrically; that is, the ankles, wrist, 
knees, elbows, or shoulders will be affected on 
both sides at the same time. When this is not 
the case, analogous joints upon the same side are 
likely to be affected, as the ankle and wrist, the 
knee and elbow, the hip and shoulder, etc. Some- 
times the disease appears to be very fickle, 
changing constantly from one joint to another 
without any apparent cause, the change taking 
place within a few hours. 

Anything which lowers vital resistance will, of 
course, predispose to rheumatism. Meat-eating, 
beer-drinking, the use of tea and coffee, exces- 
sive eating, exposure of the body to prolonged 
chilling when perspiring or in a state of fatigue, 
and neglect of the bowels, are among the most 
potent predisposing and active causes of the 
disease. 

Eminent authorities agree that medicines have 



134 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

little or no effect in shortening the course of 
this disease. It has been shown that a person 
suffering from rheumatism with rest and proper 
care usually recovers without any treatment. But 
there can be no doubt that many things can be 
done for the patient that will tend greatly to 
shorten the course of the disease and give very 
great relief from the suffering incident to the 
painful malady. 

A rheumatism patient should first of all be 
provided with a suitable bed. This should con- 
sist of a soft, smooth mattress, preferably cot- 
ton or hair, or better still an air mattress. He 
should be provided with a woolen gown and 
with perhaps a woolen cape to protect the 
shoulders in addition. Linen or cotton sheets 
should be replaced by woolen sheets so that the 
patient will be less likely to chill after perspir- 
ing. It has been noted that in this disease there 
is apparently an over-production of lactic acid, 
much of which is excreted by the skin, causing 
the perspiration to become acid. The tendency 
to perspiration should be encouraged by fre- 
quent sweating baths. The affected joints should 
be kept as quiet as possible. In case the knej 
or elbow joints are affected, it is a good plan to 
place the limb upon a splint and so avoid mo- 
tion of the painful joint. 

As soon as possible after an attack begins, 
the patient should be placed in a hot blanket 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 135 

pack, in which he should be kept for several 
hours. As a general rule the longer 
the pack is continued, the better the effect. The 
pack should be continued two to four hours at 
least, and may be repeated two or three times 
within the twenty- four hours with advantage. 
Hot fomentations applied over the affected joints 
also give great relief. The joints should be 
kept constantly enveloped in warm applications. 
Moist heat may sometimes be exchanged for dry 
heat, in the form of bags filled with salt, sand, 
or cornmeal, or some similar substance as hot 
as can be borne. Hot-water bags constitute the 
best method of applying dry heat in these cases. 
The patient should be allowed an abundance of 
water. Lemonade, with a very little sugar, is 
one of the best drinks, as the juice of the lemon 
seems to have some influence upon the disease, 
in some cases. The sour perspiration should 
be frequently removed from the skin by rub- 
bing with dry flannels. Warm sponge baths 
often add to the patient's comfort. When the 
fever rises very high, it is, in some cases, neces- 
sary to administer a prolonged cool bath. The 
patient should be put into a bath about the tem- 
perature of the bo.dy, the temperature of the 
water being gradually lowered to 7$° or 70° F. 
The bath should not be prolonged sufficiently to 
produce marked chilliness on the part of the pa- 
tient. Tepid sponge baths, repeated every hour 



136 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

or two, or more frequently, if necessary, may be 
employed in these cases. When hot fomentations 
seem to increase the pain in the joints, cool or cold 
applications may he employed. 

The diet of the patient during the attack 
should consist wholly of simple preparations of 
fruits and grains. Meat of all kinds, as well 
as beef-tea, should be wholly avoided. The use 
of meat after convalescence is begun is a fre- 
quent cause of relapse, hence flesh should be 
wholly discarded. 

If symptoms of inflammation of the heart 
arise, the patient should be kept upon a very low 
diet, or should take little or no food for a day 
or two. Hot fomentations and poultices should 
be constantly applied to the chest, covering the 
whole left side. The patient should have an 
abundance of fresh air, but should not be ex- 
posed to drafts. 



Cancer 

Causes 

Q. What is cancer? 

A. Cancer is a general term, like fever. The 
morbid growths to which the term cancer is 
commonly applied differ much in character as 
well as in appearance. Growths which recur 
when they are removed, or which show a tend- 
ency to invade the tissues and to develop similar 
growths in different parts of the body, are 
known as malignant as distinguished from be- 
nign growths which do not invade the tissues, 
but are generally enclosed within capsules, and 
purely local growths which, when removed do 
not recur. Malignant growths include quite 
a large family of neoplasms (new growths) 
which are recognizable by their microscopic 
structure and often also by their gross appear- 
ance. The different forms of cancer or malig- 
nant disease differ in the degree of their malig- 
nancy or tendency to recurrence and some 
forms are much more curable than others. Skin 
cancer for example, or epithelioma, when con- 
fined to the skin is almost certainly curable by 
any one of several different methods, the best 
of which are the x-ray, radium, and the applica- 



138 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

tion of carbon dioxide ice. Successful treat- 
ment of cancer depends upon the application of 
thoroughgoing measures at the earliest possible 
stage of the disease. In any case in which there 
is the slightest ground for the suspicion of can- 
cer an able surgeon should be promptly con- 
sulted. 

Is Cancer Curable 

Q. Is cancer curable? 

A. Most cancers are at their beginning 
purely local in character. Early and thorough 
removal of the disease will doubtless effect a 
cure in the majority of cases. It should be 
remembered, however, that the predisposition to 
cancer remains and hence a new development 
may occur; consequently simply removing the 
cancerous growth by surgical operation is not 
sufficient. The patient must be placed under a 
special regimen, which means a restricted anti- 
toxic and laxative diet, out-door life, day and 
night, and the adoption of all possible means for 
building up the resistance of the body. 

Cancer Increasing 

Q. Is cancer increasing? 

A. Cancer is undoubtedly on the increase. 
Within the last fifty years this disease, which was 
well known, but was rare in its occurrence, 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 159 

has increased in frequency until at the present 
time it destroys one out of twenty of the total 
population of the United States. The total 
mortality among the civilized people of the world 
is probably not less than one-half million yearly. 
And this terrible destruction of life by one of the 
most horrible and loathsome maladies is steadily 



Cancer Less in Vegetarians 

Q. What are the statistics as to the relative 
prevalence of cancer among vegetarians and 
non- vegetarians ? 

A. Doctor Williams of Bristol, England, in 
his work on cancer, gives the results of statis- 
tical researches in all civilized countries and 
such information as is available concerning 
countries in which statistical records are not 
kept. Doctor Hoffman, of the Prudential Life In- 
surance Company, has also published a work in 
relation to cancer, in which a large number cf 
statistics are given. Careful study of these 
statistics leaves no room for question that while 
vegetarians are not absolutely immune in rela- 
tion to cancer, they are far less subject to this 
form of degeneration than are flesh eaters. This 
is true of animals, as well as of men. 



140 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

How to Prevent Cancer 

Q. What precautions may be taken against 
cancer? 

A. First of all, one should abstain from 
flesh foods, since cancer is a disease of flesh eat- 
ing men and animals. In addition the follow- 
ing facts published by the International Journal 
of Surgery should be kept constantly in mind, 
especially by women, who are more subject to 
cancer than are men : 

1. "Cancer of the uterus commonly arises be- 
tween the ages of thirty and fifty. 

2. "The normal change of life is never marked 
by an increase in the menstrual flow. The loss of 
blood, however slight, between menstrual periods 
or after the establishment of the menopause, is 
presumptive evidence of cancer and calls for an 
immediate, searching examination. 

3. "A watery discharge is almost as suggestive 
as is hemorrhage when occurring late in life. 

4. "Pain is a very unreliable guide and does 
not occur until the disease has advanced beyond 
the uterus, when it is too late to assure good re- 
sults. 

5. "Loss of flesh does not usually occur until 
the disease has run half its course. 

6. "Pelvic complaints of whatever nature aris- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 141 

ing late in life, should awaken a suspicion of a 
possible cancer. 

7. "Cancer of the uterus may reach the inoper- 
able stage without giving rise to a single symp- 
tom, hence the advisability of submitting to an 
examination at intervals during the period of 
life between thirty and fifty years, when the 
liability of cancer is greatest. 

8. "The only hope for cure rests in early 
recognition and in early removal." 

Cancer of Stomach 

Q. Is cancer of the stomach curable? 

A. Nearly forty years ago, Professor Bill- 
broth, the famous Austrian surgeon of Vienna, 
devised an operation for removal of a portion of 
the stomach in cases of cancer of this organ. The 
operation was at first unsuccessful but as a re- 
sult of later improvements this operation may 
now be performed very safely, and when the 
cancer is still confined to the stomach there is an 
excellent prospect that the disease will not re- 
turn; but even if it does return the patient's life 
may by this operation be very greatly prolonged, 
the patient being given a number of years of 
comfortable and useful life even though at the 
time of the operation the condition was so grave 
that death must have occurred within a few weeks 
at the longest. 



Miscellaneous Questions 

(In this section no attempt has been made 
to group the many topics discussed, be- 
cause of the very great variety of subjects 
and the numerous instances of overlapping, 
making strict classification impossible.) 

The Gum Chewing Habit 

Q. Is the chewing of gum harmful? 

A. Yes. The constant activity of the salivary 
glands induced by gum chewing, especially when 
flavored gum is chewed, exhausts the glands so 
that they lose their power to digest starch, a very 
important function which is necessary for good 
digestion. This has been proven by actual ex- 
periment. A man was made to chew gum con- 
stantly for several hours. At the end of the first 
hour there was slight diminution in the digestive 
power of the saliva. At the end of two hours 
there was a very marked loss of digestive activity 
and at the end of four hours, when the experi- 
ment was terminated, the saliva had almost en- 
tirely lost its activity. The habit of chewing to- 
bacco or gum exhausts the salivary glands and 
thus lays the foundation for indigestion. The 
thorough chewing of the food is essential to good 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 143 

digestion ; but gum chewing is a useless and more 
or less harmful practice. 

Protoplasm 

Q. What is the meaning of the word "pro- 
toplasm" ? 

A. Protoplasm is the technical term which 
scientists apply to the atom of living forms. Out 
of these simple forms of life all higher and more 
complex organisms are formed. This is true of 
animals as well as vegetables. Take a man in 
pieces, and he will be found to be made of similar 
masses connected together by various devices. 
Dissect a tree, and the same will be found to 
hold true. Examine a drop of blood with a 
microscope, and it will be seen that the blood is 
simply a stream in which are floating, develop- 
ing, moving, and working, millions of little 
creatures so nearly like the microscopic creatures 
found in the scum of a stagnant pool that they 
have received the same name. The arteries and 
veins of the body may be looked upon as cor- 
responding to the rivers and streams of a conti- 
nent, and the blood corpuscles to the fish which 
swim in the waters. 



144 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Effects of Heat 

Q. Does heat cause breaking down of the 
tissues? 

A. Experiments have shown that a rise of 
body temperature in man caused by external ap- 
plication of heat, and continued intermittently for 
several days, is not attended with an increased 
breaking down of protein, so long as the temper- 
ature does not rise much above 102° F. but that 
such increase appears when the body temperature 
reaches or exceeds 104° F. 

Traveling for Health 

Q. Is it wise for an invalid to travel for 
health? 

A. Travel is often highly beneficial to the 
health of chronic invalids. The chief benefits of 
travel are not to be attributed to the change of 
air or scene, in the majority of cases, but rather 
to the change of habits necessarily involved in 
moving about from place to place in sight seeing, 
etc. 

Many persons who at home take practically no 
exercise, in traveling, especially in mountainous 
regions, find themselves actually doing as much 
muscular work as an ordinary laborer or me- 
chanic in performing his daily tasks. This in- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 145 

creased activity is of the greatest benefit through 
improving the digestion, bowel action, strengthen- 
ing the heart, encouraging proper circulation of 
the blood, increasing the action of the lungs and 
blood purification by absorption of oxygen and 
general health promotion. Change of diet is 
also in many cases of great service, especially 
when one goes on a camping expedition. Heavy 
meals with many courses and rich desserts are 
necessarily exchanged for simpler bills of fare 
which gives the digestive organs a much rieeded 
rest. 

In the majority of cases a correction of the 
daily habits of life, undertaken at home, will ac- 
complish far more in a curative way than may be 
expected from the negative benefits derived from 
travel. 

The Instincts as Safe Guides for the 
Appetite 

Q. Are the body appetites safe guides? 

A. It is often said that animals are guided by 
instincts; human beings by intelligence. This 
statement is both true and not true. Animals 
show evidence of intelligence and human beings 



146 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

are led hy instinct perhaps to a much larger de- 
gree than we ordinarily recognize. In fact we 
could scarcely live an hour without the operation 
of instinct. It is instinct which maintains the 
rhythm of the breath. Instinct manifesting it- 
self as thirst, informs us when we are in need 
of water. 

The natural instinct of hunger tells us when 
we should eat. The instinct of smell warns us of 
danger from impure air and certain food im- 
purities. 

By disuse or abuse our instincts have been 
greatly blunted so that they are of far less 
use to us than to primitive men and infinitely 
less useful than in lower animals. The extent 
to which our instincts may be benumbed is well 
illustrated in a thousand and one perverted habits 
which we have acquired. 

Bone Grafting 

Q. What is meant by bone grafting? 

A. In recent years, as a result of numerous 
experiments upon animals as well as human be- 
ings, a method has developed which has proven 
to be the most successful of all means of re- 
storing injured bones to a normal condition. If, 
for example, a portion of a thigh bone is de- 
stroyed so that the ends of the bone cannot he 
brought together so as to secure a solid union, 
a portion of the fibula or a strip of bone removed 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 147 

from the tibia may be used to fill in the gap. A 
slender piece of bone thus implanted is found to 
grow and develop until it becomes large enough 
to meet the needs of its new situation. This fact 
affords a very, striking illustration of the mar- 
velous intelligence everywhere displayed in the 
functions and activities of the human body. 

Fattening the Face 

Q. What harmless "cream" may be used 
to fatten the face? 

A. The face cannot be fattened by rubbing 
in "cream" of any sort. A diet which causes a 
gain in weight will produce increased fullness 
of the face. Massage of the face will encourage 
the deposit of fat in the cheeks by bringing more 
blood to the parts. As a lubricant for the skin 
of the face or "face cream" there is nothing bet- 
ter than lanolin cream. (See page 48.) 

Centipede Bite 

Q. Is the bite of the centipede poisonous? 

A. The house centipede known in this coun- 
try is more or less poisonous but fortunately its 
bite is never fatal. Although possessed of a 
most voracious carnivorous appetite the centipede 
probably never attacks human beings unless 
brought into immediate contact with the body 
and obliged to defend itself. The centipede feeds 



148 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

on house flies, cockroaches, and bed bugs, and s 
is somewhat useful as a destroyer of household 
pests. It lives in bath rooms, moist closets 
cellars and pantries where roaches and flies ar 
likely to be found. 

The bite of the centipede is generally relieve' 
by the prompt application of ammonia. 

Mineral Elements of Plants 

Q. In what foods are iron, potash and phos 
phates found in greatest abundance? 

A. Metallic iron, phosphorus, and potash i: 
the form in which these elements are known i: 
the laboratory are not found in foodstuffs. I: 
foods these substances are incorporated in th 
living structure in organic combination wit' 
other elements needed folr nutrition. Th 
amount of the elements named found in or 
ganized form in various foodstuffs differs, how 
ever, very considerably. For example, iron i 
most abundant in the colored parts of plant* 
Lettuce, spinach and tomatoes are particular! 
rich in this element. Potash is most abundar 
in green vegetables, particularly roots and under 
ground stems, such as the potato, the artichoke 
turnips, carrots, parsnips and sweet potatoes 
Phosphorus is found in large proportions ii 
cereals, particularly whole-grain preparation 
such as wheat, rye, barley, oatmeal, and unpol 
ished rice. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 149 

Rigor Mortis 

Q. What is rigor mortis? 

A. The peculiar rigidity which comes soon 
: ter death in man and animals is supposed to 
: due to coagulation of the muscular fibre. It 
the beginning of decomposition, and indicates 
e death of the muscular fibres. It is ob- 
rved that in persons who die suddenly in a state 
comparative health, as from accident, rigoi 
ortis does not appear for some hours after 
i ath, and then remains for some time. In per- 
ns who die from long-continued or wasting 
sease, the opposite in both particulars is true. 

House Pets 

Q. Are house pets objectionable? 
A. All house pets are more or less dangerous, 
ogs are a constant source of danger. Cats 
e perhaps the most dangerous of all domestic 
limals. In a paper read before the National 
inference of Charities and Corrections held 
Richmond, these facts were emphasized, and 
e assertion was made that it requires more 
.re to keep a cat or a dog in a safe and sanitary 
mdition than to care for a child. Cats suffer 
om nearly all diseases to which human beings 
e subject. They are especially subject to 
phtheria and ringworm. An entire community 



150 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

became infected with diphtheria from a sh 
cat. The speaker mentioned a case which 
come within his own personal knowledge 
which several families were infected with ri 
worm from a handsome pet cat. 

Twins 

Q. What is the cause of twins? 

A. There are two varieties of twins. Fi 
those in which the twins do not look alike, 
second, those in which they are identical in 
and closely resemble one another in all pa 
culars. Twins of the first sort are due to 
simultaneous fertilization of two distinct ovs 
embryos, each of which develops independer 
Identical twins are developed from a sir 
embryo. Early in its history the develop 
embryo splits in two and the two halves t 
develop independently into two identical hur 
beings. 

Resemblances Between Man and Apes 

Q. Do higher apes resemble man in ot 
respects than anatomical structure? 

A. Professor R. L. Garner, who has devc 
many years of his life to the study of the n 
like apes of Africa in their native forests 
made many interesting observations of the ha 
and social conditions of these creatures. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 151 

5 that they resemble in very many respects 
lower human races. They live upon the na- 
1 products of the forest, chiefly fruits, nuts, 

green shoots. 

L'hev sleep on the back or side, like human 
gs, and often make their beds 18 to 25 feet 
i the ground. They have acute sight and espe- 
y hearing, but their sense of smell is not 
h better developed than that of man. The 
Dd of gestation is probably seven months, 
n births are exceedingly rare. Females are 
tally mature at from 7 to 9 years; males a 

or two later. The usual duration of life is 

21 years. Rights of ownership are well 
ected among them." 

Smoke 

Is smoke injurious to health? 

. The smoke nuisance has come to be one 
le most glaring evils of city life, especially in 
strial communities. Recent experiments in- 
to that the enormous financial loss which oc- 
through the contamination of the atmosphere 
smoke is but a very small part of the in- 
produced. Coal smoke contains among 
r poisonous substances sulphurous acid gas. 

1 gas is poisonous to all living things. Its 
: properties are well shown by its poisonous 
:ts produced upon plants. Very sensitive 



152 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

plants, such as fir trees, are injured by one part 
of sulphurous acid gas in one million parts ot 
air. The curious fact was noted that the in- 
jury to plants by sulphurous acid is much greater 
during daylight than during night; it is also 
greater in spring than in winter. Sulphurous 
acid interferes with the process of assimilation 
in the plant. The pine tree, in fact all cone 
bearing trees, are found to be highly sensitive 
to the influence of smoke poisons. It cannot be 
doubted that similar injuries are inflicted upon 
the sensitive organism of young children and 
even older persons who are constantly sub- 
jected to the influence of a smoke laden atmos- 
phere. 

Body Consumption in Starvation 

Q. What portions of the body are first at- 
tacked when food is withdrawn? 

A. The calorimeter studies of the human 
body as well as of dogs, rabbits and other ani- 
mals, show that in starvation the body first con- 
sumes its store of glycogen or carbohydrates. 
Even this, however, are not entirely used up, 
although at the end of three days only a small 
fraction of the normal store of glycogen which 
amounts to about four per cent of the weight 
of the body is found remaining. The fats are 
absorbed only after the carbohydrates have been 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 153 

consumed. The protein or albuminous tissues 
are attacked simultaneously and in increasing 
amount as the fat is consumed. First of all in 
fasting such portions of protein as have not been 
assimilated but are, so to speak, afloat in the 
body are burned. Then the carbohydrates are at- 
tacked and lastly the fats. Protein is necessarily 
burned first for the reason that there is no pro- 
vision made in the body for storing protein while 
carbohydrates are stored as glycogen, any sur- 
plus being converted into fat and stored as adi- 
pose tissue. 

Reproduction of Body Cells 

Q. How are the cells of the body repro- 
duced? 

A. Cells have a limited life. They are con- 
stantly dying. New cells must be formed from 
foodstuffs. They cannot be formed from the 
materials of dead cells. When a cell dies, its ma- 
terial is disintegrated and cast out of the body. 
It has normally no further utilization in the body. 

This fact affords a strong hint that animal 
tissue cannot be the best source for nutrient ma- 
terial for the human body. Otherwise, why 
should not the body use the remnants of its own 
tissues when crippled by use? A further strik- 
ing fact also appears : the tissues of animals 
must always contain a very considerable amount 



154 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

of material derived from dead cells. All the 
cells of animal flesh are dead. It is rather sur- 
prising indeed that any utilizable material can be 
obtained from flesh. 

In the case of a machine, worn-out parts may 
be recast into new parts, but in the animal body 
this cannot be done. Worn parts are wholly dis- 
carded and new parts must be constructed out 
of new material derived from the daily food, and 
in part, from stored material. 

Suspended Animation 

Q. Are the reports of long suspended ani- 
mation in animals confirmed by scientific in- 
vestigation? 

A. It is well known that frogs and fishes may 
be preserved alive for months imbedded in 
blocks of ice or frozen mud, and when restored 
to activity by being slowly thawed out are ap- 
parently wholly uninjured by the long exposure 
to a low temperature. Recent experiments have 
shown that round worms may be so thoroughly 
dried that they are flat like strips of paper, and 
may be kept for months in this condition, yet 
when soaked in water the dried worms may be in 
a few moments restored to a perfectly healthy 
appearance and activity. The conclusion is that 
although most of the functions of life are sus- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 155 

pended in these cases a small degree of vital 
activity still remain ; in other words actual death 
does not occur. 

Life in Detached Body Tissue 

Q. May the cells or tissues of the body con- 
tinue to live and grow after separation from 
it? 

A. Dr. Carrel, has within the last few years 
succeeded in cultivating various tissues outside 
of the body. A fragment of the heart of a 
chicken planted in lymph in a few hours had at- 
tained a size five times that of the original frag- 
ment and continued' to grow for months. The 
fragment of tissue continued to beat regularly in 
the new medium. After a day or two it was 
noted that the beating would cease, but if the tis- 
sue were placed in a temperature a little above 
freezing for a day or two, when warmed up again 
the beating would recommence and continue for 
twenty-four hours or more. The resting in the 
cold was found to be necessary to allow the tissues 
to get rid of the fatigue poisons. In other experi- 
ments Dr. Carrel succeeded in replacing one kid- 
ney of a cat by a kidney from another cat. After 
a time the other kidney was also replaced so that 
the cat, although both kidneys had been removed 
was apparently in perfect health through the ac- 



156 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

tivity of the kidneys obtained from two other 
cats. 

The experiment was not successful however, 
for it was found that after some months the 
transplanted kidneys underwent degeneration. 
Hope is entertained that sometime it may be- 
come possible to transplant important organs 
from one person to another. 

Ozone 

Q. What is ozone and is it a very valuable 
remedy for consumption? 

A. Ozone is a very active form of oxygen. 
When inhaled even in very dilute form it is high- 
ly irritating. It has many times been tried in 
the treatment of consumption but has proved to 
be entirely useless. 

Density of the Air 

Q. What is the difference in the amount of 
oxygen present in the air on a mountain top 
and at sea level? 

A. The density of air depends upon the 
weight of the overlying atmosphere. It varies 
slightly at different times of the year, and in 
different parts of the world, and with the amount 
of vapor which it contains. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 157 

The air becomes rapidly less dense, as one 
rises above the sea level. At an elevation of 
two and seven-tenths miles, the amount of oxygen 
contained in a given quantity of air will be pro- 
portionately lessened, one-half what it is at sea 
level. It is calculated that at a height of 100 
miles the pressure is one one-millionth of that at 
the earth's surface. The boiling point which at 
sea level is 21 2** F., diminishes one degree for 
every 350 feet of elevation above sea level. At 
the top of a high mountain, as mount Shasta, 
water boils at about 170° F. 

Epilepsy 

Q. What is the cause of epilepsy? 

A. The most eminent nerve specialists are 
now agreed that in the majority of cases epilepsy 
is due to bad heredity or constitutional defect of 
some sort. It is hence evident that for a radical 
cure the treatment of an epileptic must begin be- 
fore he is born. The inherent defect which mani- 
fests itself in epilepsy may be inherited from 
either the father or the mother. Alcohol, syphilis, 
lead poisoning and probably many other in- 
fections may so impair the germ plasm of the 
parents or injure the developing embryo as to 
give rise to epilepsy. There are, of course, 
cases in which the disease is due to the growth 
of a tumor in the brain. These cases are com- 



158 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

paratively rare. In the majority of cases of 
epilepsy, according to Dr. Williams, former 
superintendent of the State Epileptic Institution 
of New Jersey, the family history shows epilepsy 
if not in the parents, in an uncle, aunt, cousin, or 
some other near relative. Dr. Williams insists 
that children born in families with an epileptic 
heredity should be placed under special treat- 
ment and training before the active symptoms of 
the disease develop. Dr. Derkum of Philadel- 
phia, one of the leading nerve specialists of the 
United States, insists that the best remedy for 
epilepsy is the simple life, what he terms, "the 
back-to-Nature cure." Out of door life, abundant 
exercise in the open air, simple non- stimulating 
food, general health culture — these are the most 
effective means recognized to combat this grave 
disease. 

When the laws of eugenics come to be bet- 
ter understood and their bearing upon race 
welfare better appreciated, no doubt legal re- 
strictions will be placed upon the marriage of 
epileptics as a most effective means of prevent- 
ing the increase of defectives of this class. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 159 

Breast Hardening 

Q. What should be done for the lumps 
rhich sometimes form in the breast especially 
bout the time of the menopause ? 

A. When painful lumps are found in the 
reast a competent surgeon should be consulted. 
,umps which grow or which cause retraction of 
le nipple, should be removed at once. 

Artificial Respiration 

Q. What is the best method of administer- 
ig artificial respiration? 

A. One of the best methods is known as the 
ylvester method. 

After clearing the mouth of dirt and saliva, 
nd drawing the tongue forward, the patient is 
dd upon the back with the shoulders and head 
ightly raised. The operator then kneels be- 
nd his head, grasps the arms just above the el- 
dws, and draws them steadily upward until 
ley meet above the head. By this means, the 
bs are elevated, and inspiration is produced, 
he arms are then brought down to the sides 
i the chest, the ribs being compressed against 
le chest, so as to produce expiration. These 
lovements are to be repeated twelve to sixteen 
mes a minute. 



160 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Asthma 

Q. What is the cause of asthma? Can it be 
cured? 

A. Asthma is generally curable. There are at 
least three kinds of asthma. One kind is due to 
intestinal toxemia upon the colon and trn* is the 
most common. Poisons absorbed from the colon 
and excreted through the lungs, irritate the small 
air passages and cause them to contract and pro- 
duce a spasm, so that the inhaled air cannot be 
readily gotten out of the lungs. 

Another form which is less common is due 
to bronchial catarrh, which causes irritation of 
the small air passages and causes them to con- 
tract. 

Still another form is due to a diseased con- 
dition of the heart so that the organ is not 
able to carry the blood away from the lungs 
and they become congested. 

All of these conditions may be relieved. 
Asthma due to disease of the colon can be 
cured in a short time. Asthma due to bron- 
chial catarrh is also usually amenable to treat- 
ment. Asthma which is due to heart disease may 
be helped, but cannot always be cured. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 161 

Artificial Light 

Q. What kind of artificial light is best for 
the eyes? 

A. A soft diffused light. Brilliant light 
should never strike the retina of the eye. 

Artificial Lighting and Eye Disease 

Q. Is it probable that modern methods of 
artificial lighting are the cause of the apparent 
increase of eye disease in recent times? 

A. It is probable that certain forms of ar- 
tificial light are highly injurious to the eyes. 
Scientific experiment has shown that a com- 
bination of red and yellow rays are most agree- 
able, and least injurious, to the eye. The light 
furnished by the old fashioned candle and the 
kerosene lamp was most wholesome for the 
eye as regards quality, although frequently de- 
ficient in quantity. White light contains actinic 
rays, which are pernicious, and light which is 
capable of producing tanning of the skin is 
unquestionably injurious to the eyes. It has 
been found that workmen in glass factories, 
and other industries in which the eyes are con- 
stantly exposed to bright light are very subject 
to cataract. It is quite possible that the great 
brilliancy of the most improved forms of lamps 



162 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

now used in house lighting may be responsible 
for many cases of cataract and other forms of 
eye disease. The indirect and semi-indirect 
systems of lighting are unquestionably a very 
great improvement, since they serve to protect 
the eye from the brilliant rays of the incandes- 
cent film. 

Eye Lotion 

Q. Is borax solution good for inflamed 
eyes? 

A. No. Borax is often useful as a skin lotion 
but should not be used for the eyes. Boracic 
acid is highly useful, as has been long known; 
but in borax the acid is combined with an irri- 
tating alkali and so borax should not be used in 
applications to so delicate a surface as the mucous 
membrane of the eye. A saturated solution of 
boracic acid dropped into the eye several times 
a day is highly useful for inflamed eyelids. 

Acidosis 

Q. What is acidosis? 

A. Acidosis relates to a condition of the body 
in which acids are predominant. Under nor- 
mal conditions the fluids of the body are neu- 
tral. In certain conditions of disease the normal 
balance is destroyed. This condition is very 
commonly present in many forms of chronic dis- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 163 

ease, such as Bright's disease, which some emin- 
ent authorities believe to be due to an over ac- 
cumulation of acids in the tissues. There are 
two forms of acidosis, true acidosis and relative 
acidosis. True acidosis is a condition in which 
acids have accumulated in the body to so great 
an extent that they can no longer be neutral- 
ized, while relative acidosis is not due to the 
accumulation of acids, but rather to loss of 
alkalies. Relative acidosis is a condition almost 
wholly confined to children in whom it some- 
times though rarely occurs as a result of acid 
fermentations in the intestines. The source of 
these acid fermentations is an excess of fat in 
the food. The fats ferment, producing butyric 
acid. The body secretes alkalies to neutralize 
the acids and thus the body is robbed of its al- 
kaline substances. The condition of relative 
acidosis sometimes occurs also as a result of 
diarrhea in which the alkalies of the body are 
discharged more rapidly than they can be re- 
placed. 

Acetone 

Q. What is the cause of acetone? 

A. Acetone found in the breath and urine, 
especially in diabetes, is the result of imperfect 
burning of fat. 

It is on this account that great care must be 
taken in feeding diabetics to avoid giving an ex- 



164 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

cess of fat, although, of course it is necessar) 
that the amount of fat should be very greatl) 
increased in many cases of diabetes in which i 1 
is often necessary to give the patient three times 
the amount of fat called for by the standard 
ration. 

Air Swallowing 

Q. Is the swallowing of air a common com- 
plaint? 

A. The habit of swallowing air was form- 
erly supposed to be very rare. It is now knowr 
that most people who think they are suffering 
from gas on the stomach are really addicted tc 
the habit of swallowing air. Discomfort ir 
the stomach gives rise to a peculiar musculai 
movement, as a result of which air is drawr 
down into the stomach. The patient thinks thai 
he is expelling gas from the stomach when the 
real fact is that he is filling his stomach up with 
air by swallowing it. At intervals the ac- 
cumulated air will be belched out of the stom- 
ach and then the swallowing will begin again 
The best means of temporary relief is to oper 
the mouth wide and take deep breaths. It is 
a good plan to swallow one or two glassfuls oi 
hot water. Air swallowing is frequently a 
habit which can be broken only by a strong ef- 
fort of the will. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 165 

Bronchitis 

Q. What is the cause of bronchitis? 

'A. Chronic bronchial catarrh is most fre- 
quently the result of constipation. The poisons 
ibsorbed from the colon are eliminated through 
the lungs and irritate the mucous membrane, 
giving rise to an increased secretion. The vital 
resistance is at the same time lowered, by which 
neans the growth of germs in the air passage 
is encouraged. The greatest benefit is likely to 
De derived from securing three thorough move- 
ments of the bowels daily by natural and unirri- 
tating means, by proper regulation of the diet, 
discarding flesh foods of all kinds, and by build- 
ing up the general health in every possible way. 

In most cases of chronic bronchitis the skin 
s dingy or pigmented, the tongue coated, the 
breath bad, and there are many other evidences 
Df intestinal toxemia or auto-intoxication. This 
condition must be cured by change of diet and 
increased bowel activity. The skin may be im- 
proved by the electric light bath three or four 
times a week, followed by cold friction, the air 
bath and oil rubbing every day and sun bathing 
tt"hen possible. 

The chest pack is one of the best measures of 
relieving the cough. To encourage expectora- 
tion, use the chest pack at night or even night 



166 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

and day, and drink - hot water freely, three or 
four pints during the day. A non-flesh diet is 
essential; also the avoidance of condiments, and 
salt should be used very sparingly, the less the 
better. 

Burns 

Q. What is the best method of treating 
burns? 

A. Slight burns in which the skin is not 
broken are best treated by the application of 
talcum powder, bismuth or powdered alum. In 
cases in which much pain is present relief may 
be obtained by applying a compress wet with 
two to five per cent of subacetate of aluminum. 
When the pain is relieved the compress should 
be removed and powder applied. In a few days 
the skin peels off and the parts rapidly be- 
come normal. In more severe burns in which 
the skin is badly blistered there is always much 
pain. Compresses with the aluminum subace- 
tate solution should be constantly applied. The 
compresses should not be allowed to get dry. 
Cheese cloth is the best material. It should be 
laid over the affected parts and kept constantly 
moist with the solution. To prevent drying 
the compress is covered with oiled silk or mus- 
lin. Avoid the use of carron oil, ointments, 
and other greasy preparations. Blisters, when 
distended with serum should be carefully punc- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 167 

tured and shreds of tissue and skin should be 
removed. When the pain is relieved and the 
healing process begun it is found to be advan- 
tageous to expose the parts to the air without 
covering for one to three hours daily. Dry tal- 
cum powder or bismuth is then sprinkled over 
the rough surface and a sterilized gauze com- 
press is applied. Burns usually recover in a 
week or ten days. Later, to prevent formation 
of crusts, vaselin containing two or three per 
cent of boric acid may be applied. In very 
bad burns in which the injury extends to a 
considerable depth, cheese cloth compresses wet 
with a solution of aluminum subacetate should 
be constantly used until the dead parts separate. 
The line of division between the live and the 
dead tissues will usually appear by the third or 
fourth day. Care should be taken to avoid tear- 
ing away the dead parts so as to induce bleed- 
ing as this will cause opening of the blood ves- 
sels and infection. If there is much pus forma- 
tion and fever, a compress wet in a solution of 
bichloride, one part to two thousand may be use- 
fully employed. After a healthy granular sur- 
face appears, the healing may be greatly en- 
couraged by skin grafting. After grafts are ap- 
plied the wound should be exposed to the air 
for one to three hours every day. The expos- 
ure to the air forms a slight dry film under 
which the newly formed tissue develops rapidly. 



168 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

After exposure to the air lint covered with 
vaselin containing two per cent boric acid is 
applied to prevent the formation of crusts. When 
a large surface is involved it is a good plan to 
cover the, raw surface with gutta percha tissue 
in which numerous holes are made to allow the 
escape of serum; over this is applied a cheese- 
cloth compress, which is kept moistened with a 
solution containing three to five per cent of 
common salt and one per cent of citrate of soda. 
Old sores resulting from burns may be stim- 
ulated to rapid healing by exposure to the direct 
sunlight or arc light rays for an hour daily. 

A new method of treating burns has been de- 
veloped recently in one of the field hospitals of 
France. The method consists of spraying the 
burned surface with a preparation consisting of 
paraffin molding wax or resin in solution. A 
mixture of paraffin oil and paraffin wax equal 
parts works nearly as well as the proprietary 
preparation. It is heated to 150 F. by putting 
the container in hot water, and is applied with an 
atomizer after carefully cleansing and drying the 
burned surface. After the first layer has been 
applied, a thin layer of cotton is put on and 
then more of the paraffin is sprayed on. It is 
applied twice a day. The results are most ex- 
cellent. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 169 

Gar Sickness 

Q. How may car sickness be prevented? 

A. Before taking a trip upon the cars be 
careful to have the bowels thoroughly evacuated. 
Make the diet consist of cereals and fruits, 
avoiding fats and wholly discarding meats. 
While riding on the cars keep the head in a 
horizontal position. Do not attempt to read. 
Do not look out of the car windows. If pos- 
sible, lie down and keep the eyes closed. 

Cramped Legs 

Q. What is the cause of cramping of the leg 
muscles? 

A. Cramping of the muscles of the legs is a 
frequent neurasthenic symptom. A very painful 
form sometimes occurs in elderly people as a 
result of hardening of the arteries of the legs. 
A cramping muscle can generally be relieved by 
firm pressure made by grasping the limb with 
the hands. 

Relieving Leg Cramps at Night 

Q. "What will relieve cramps in the legs, 
occuring at night in bed? 

A. A hot leg bath just before retiring, to 
be followed by a heating compress to be worn 
during the night, will afford relief. For the 



170 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

heating compress, a cotton stocking wrung quite 
dry out of cold water, and worn with a woolen 
stocking over it will answer the purpose; or a 
towel wrung dry out of very cold water, ap- 
plied to the leg and covered with mackintosh 
and flannel. 

Creaking Joints 

Q. What are the probable causes of crack- 
ing of the joints of the feet, legs, and wrist? 

A. Creaking of the knee joints is usually 
due to arthritis. 

Diabetes 

Q. Is diabetes curable? 

A. In the majority of cases the disease is 
not curable in the strict sense of the word, 
but in nearly all cases the sugar may be made 
to disappear from the urine and the patient 
may be made able to live a comfortable and 
useful life for many years. 

Cause of Diabetes 

Q. What is the cause of diabetes? 

A. It is now generally believed that diabetes 
is in most cases caused by a disease of the 
pancreas. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 171 

Diet Schedule for Diabetes 

Q. Is there any reliable rule of diet 
which a diabetic patient may follow after get- 
ting the urine free from sugar by fasting? 

A. Yes. The following schedule has long 
been in use at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in 
such cases, though, of course, some variations 
are necessary to suit individual cases : 

Diabetic Diet Schedule 

Energy intake calculated for body weight of 
130 pounds (59 kilos). 



Carbohydrate 


Protein 


Fat 




Total 


Day 


Cal. 


Cal. 


Cal. 


Cal. 


Cal. 


Cal. 


Cal. 


Cal. 


Cal. 






per 




per 




per 




per 


per 






pound 




poun 


d 


pound 




pound 


kil. 


1 


65 


.5 


195 


1.5 


260 


2.0 


520 


4.0 


8.8 


2 


130 


1.0 


195 


1.5 


390 


3.0 


715 


5.5 


12.1 


3 


195 


1.5 


195 


1.5 


520 


4.0 


910 


7.0 


15.4 


4 


260 


2.0 


195 


1.5 


650 


5.0 


1105 


8.5 


18.7 


5 


325 


2.5 


195 


1.5 


780 


6.0 


1300 


10.0 


22.0 


6 


338 


2.6 


195 


1.5 


845 


6.5 


1378 


10.6 


23.3 


7 


351 


2.7 


195 


1.5 


910 


7.0 


1465 


11.2 


24.6 


8 


364 


2.8 


195 


1.5 


975 


7.5 


1534 


11.8 


26.0 


9 


377 


2.9 


195 


1.5 


1040 


8.0 


1612 


12.4 


27.3 


10 


390 


3.0 


195 


1.5 


1105 


8.5 


1690 


13.0 


28.6 


11 


416 


3.2 


195 


1.5 


1170 


9.0 


1781 


13.7 


30.1 


12 


442 


3.4 


195 


1.5 


1235 


9.5 


1872 


14.4 


31.7 


13 


468 


3.6 


195 


1.5 


1300 


10.0 


1963 


15.1 


33.2 


14 


494 


3.8 


195 


1.5 


1300 


10.0 


1989 


15.3 


33.7 


15 


520 


4.0 


195 


1.5 


1300 


10.0 


2015 


15.5 


34.1 


Work 


















ration 650 


5.0 


195 


1.5 


1560 


12.0 


2405 


18.0 


39.6 



172 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Dry Mouth 

Q. What is the cause of dryness of mouth 
and tongue at night? 

A. The cause may be sleeping with the mouth 
open or a feverish condition. Mouth breathing 
is almost always due to nasal obstruction. If 
due to fever at night there is perhaps ground 
for suspicion that some chronic disease, as tu- 
berculosis of the lungs, may be getting a foot- 
hold. 

White Patches in Mouth 

Q. What is the cause and remedy of small 
white sores on inside of the mouth? 

A. The condition described is probably 
aphthae. In children the mouth should always 
be washed out with a clean wet cloth immedi- 
ately after feeding, for food remnants left in 
the mouth form the best possible soil for the 
production of the disease. An acid state of 
the stomach and a feeble condition of the sys- 
tem favor the production of this condition. The 
use of sour fruits and raw tomatoes are 
sometimes the exciting factors. Rinse the mouth 
often with boracic acid solution or peroxide of 
hydrogen in water. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 173 

Foul Breath 

Q. What is the cause of a foul breath? 

A. There are many minor causes, such as 
decaying teeth, chronic nasal catarrh, and dis- 
eased tonsils, but the principal cause is consti- 
pation. The poisons absorbed from the colon 
are discharged through the lungs giving a fecal 
odor to the breath. The remedy is to adopt an 
antitoxic diet and to train the bowels to move 
three times a day. 

Enlarged Finger Joints 

Q. What causes enlarged finger joints? 

A. The condition is probably rheumatic in 
character, and is often connected with dilatation 
of the stomach. It is practically incurable, 
though further progress of the disease may often 
be arrested by careful regulation of the diet and 
by proper treatment. The fingers should be 
soaked in hot water for ten minutes twice daily, 
and afterward the hands should be dipped in cold 
water for a few seconds, then rubbed and flexed. 
If quite painful, the rubbing should be 
gentle, simply passing the hands over the 
joints with moderate pressure. A moist bandage 
consisting of two or three thicknesses of cheese 
cloth wet in cold water, and well wrung, should 



174 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

be wrapped around the joints, covered with 
flannel and mackintosh, to be retained during the 
night. 

Massage of the joints with olive or cocoanut 
oil or white vaseline is excellent. 

Numb Fingers 

Q. What causes numbness and tingling in 
the finger ends when they become cold? What 
is a good remedy? 

A. A disturbed circulation. Bathing the 
hands alternately in hot and cold water morning 
and night for ten or fifteen minutes, and mas- 
sage, are useful measures. The real cause of 
this condition in most cases is intestinal auto- 
intoxication, which is a common result of 
chronic constipation. The condition of the 
fingers should receive attention promptly, since 
it may easily develop into a most serious con- 
dition known as "dead finger." 

Exposure of the parts to the rays of the arc 
light or the quart light is an excellent means of 
stimulating the tissues and restoring a normal 
condition. 

Exposure to the sun's rays is an equally 
efficient method. Care must be taken to protect 
the fingers from the cold. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 175 

Foreign Bodies Swallowed 

Q. Do foreign bodies do much harm in the 
stomach and may they be safely removed? 

A. Small coins, buttons, and other round 
objects, generally create no very great disturb- 
ance if they reach the stomach, as they usually 
do. Much unnecessary alarm is often felt 
when articles of this kind have been swallowed. 
Even pins and needles are generally successfully 
passed through the intestine if they reach the 
stomach. The intestine shows marvelous intelli- 
gence in dealing with these sharp objects. Pro- 
fessor Roger has shown by experiments upon 
animals that when a pin is placed in the intes- 
tine with the point downward and sticking into 
the intestinal wall, the intestine promptly turns 
the pin over, giving the head a down-stream di- 
rection, thus preventing penetration of the in- 
testine. When any sharp or angular object has 
been swallowed which may possibly injure the 
stomach or intestines, the danger of injury may 
be frequently lessened by giving large quanti- 
ties of potatoes and other bulky vegetables, so 
as to distend the stomach and bowels and thus 
give plenty of room for the passage of the for- 
eign body. 

When the substance swallowed is of a metallic 
character, its location may easily be determined 
by means of the x-ray. Frequently such 



176 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

bodies are discharged from the bowels without 
their escape being noticed. In such cases the 
x-ray examination will render great service by 
removing cause for further anxiety. 

Fever 

Q. What is the cause of fever? 

A. Fever may result from an increase of 
heat production or deficient heat elimination. 

The principal cause of the rise of temperature 
in fever has been shown to be due to dimin- 
ished elimination of heat. The sweat glands 
become paralyzed, the skin is dry, so that little 
evaporation takes place from the surface. 

Diet in Fever 

Q. Should fever patients be fed? 

A. It is highly important that fever patients 
should receive a proper amount of food and 
food of the right sort. Physiologic experiments 
have shown that during fever, especially when 
the temperature is high, the muscles, glands and 
blood are rapidly destroyed. This is the reason 
for the great weakness as well as emaciation of 
the fever patient whose temperature has run very 
high for some days. From careful investigations 
May reached the conclusion that the destruction 
of the tissues in fever is due to the lack of car- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 177 

bohydrates. More recently conducted experiments 
show that by feeding an abundance of carbohy- 
drates the wasting of the muscles and the ex- 
traordinary weakening of the body which fre- 
quently occurs may be prevented. This is a mat- 
ter of very great importance. It is also interesting 
to note that these scientific experiments confirm 
the practical observations made long ago by 
physicians that the best diet for fever patients 
consists of farinaceous preparations, fruits and 
fruit juices. Neimeyer, the eminent German 
physician, fed his fever patients on fruit soup, 
a very popular dish in Germany. Hippocrates, 
the noted physician of ancient Greece, recom- 
mended for fever patients a thin gruel prepared 
from barley — "ptisan." 

The starvation plan of treating fever patients 
is known to be positively dangerous and should 
be abandoned. The diet should consist of fruits, 
fruit juices and cereal preparations. The juice 
of fresh or dried fruits is greatly to be preferred 
to cooked fruits for the reason that cooking de- 
stroys the precious vitamines of which the fever 
patient stands greatly in need. VonHoesslin 
demonstrated long ago that fever patients should 
be given quite a liberal supply of food of the 
right sort to prevent the great weakening which 
is certain to occur from the combined influence 
of the fever processes and starvation. 



178 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Goiter 

Q. Please give the cause of goitre, and sug- 
gest methods of cure? 

A. There are several forms of goitre — ex- 
ophthalmic goitre or Grave's disease, is prob- 
ably due to auto-intoxication. Ordinary goitre 
is now believed to be due to a parasite infection 
derived from impure water. 

Gout 

Q. What is the best diet for gout? 

A. Gout is due to an accumulation of uric 
acid in the body. The diet best adapted for per- 
sons suffering from gout is such a diet as will 
enable them to eliminate uric acid from the sys- 
tem. Since uric acid is a result of meat eating, 
meat should, of course, be discarded. 

Doctor Hinhede, an eminent Scandinavian 
physician who has given much attention to the 
study of diet, and who has, for many years, ad- 
vocated a low-protein and non-flesh dietary, has 
recently published the results of extended ex- 
periments with various exclusive diets, especially 
in relation to uric acid, in which he found that 
when the diet consisted of potatoes only the urine 
was but slightly acid and contained no uric acid. 
He finally discovered that the urine from a potato 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 179 

diet was capable of dissolving from one-half 
dram to a dram of uric acid daily. This was 
found to be true, also, when strawberries or milk, 
or both, were taken with the potatoes. A diet 
consisting largely of apples or tomatoes produced 
similar results. 

Hay Fever 

Q. What is the cause of hay-fever? 

A. The pollen of plants. There are one 
hundred twenty-five different kinds of pollen 
known to produce hay- fever. Even morning- 
glories will cause hay-fever in some people. 
Different people are affected by different plants. 

Remedy for Hay Fever 

Q. What can be done for this distressing 
malady? 

A. The best remedy for hay fever is a change 
of residence to a location which is free from the 
cause of the disease. It is now known that hay 
fever is due to a combination of two things, — 
first, a susceptible nasal mucous membrane, and 
second, the pollen of certain plants which, float- 
ing in the air, is inhaled and sets up the irritation 
characteristic of this disease. There is now sold 
in most drug stores an antitoxic substance pre- 
pared from the pollen of plants which give rise 



180 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

to hay fever and which is very useful as a means 
of mitigating this really unpleasant malady. 

Special vaccines are also prepared and used 
with great success. 

Patients suffering from hay fever are often 
wonderfully relieved by being placed in a very 
cold room (temp. 30° F. to 0° F.) for an hour 
or two. The relief often lasts for several hours 
and so may insure a good night's rest. 

The services of a nose and throat specialist 
should always be secured in advance of the ex- 
pected attack. 

In the morning, at night and at other times, 
lightly smearing the lining of the nostrils with 
vaselin protects the sensitive mucous membrane. 

The Cause of Typhus Fever 

The cause of this grave disease, until recently 
a profound mystery, has been now clearly shown 
to be a minute micro-organism which is communi- 
cated to human beings by the body louse. The 
fact that the louse is an active carrier of the in- 
fection was first shown by Plotz. Recent work 
done in Mexico by Olitsky and others confirm 
the work of Plotz, and it may now be regarded 
as definitely proven that typhus fever is caused 
by the bite of infected body lice. A vaccine has 
been produced by the use of which a person may 
be rendered immune to this disease. Of more 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 181 

than eight thousand persons vaccinated, and who 
were thoroughly exposed to the disease, only six 
contracted the disease. It has been observed that 
typhus fever is much less severe and fatal in 
certain races, particularly Jews and Arabs. It 
is a curious fact that typhus fever is chiefly con- 
fined to the colder regions of the earth. This 
is because the body louse is more active in cold 
latitudes, being rendered lethargic by heat. 

Sprue Due to a Fungus Infection 

A study of sprue by Brown confirms the view 
that this disease is due to infection by a fungus, 
monilia, allied to the fungus which produces 
thrush. His observations also show that the pan- 
creatic secretion is lacking in this disease and 
the patients are benefited by the use of pancreatic 
extracts. 

Prevention of Hay Fever 

Q. Is there any way in which a locality can 
be freed from hay fever? 

A. This is a new question in public health, but 
one that promises fair to be answered satis- 
factorily. 

Through the efforts of the American Hay 
Fever Prevention Association, the city of New 
Orleans has recently adopted a hay fever ordi- 
nance, which provides that the tenant or owner 



182 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

of any premises shall not permit weeds or grass 
over two feet in height to grow or stand on such 
premises, or permit weeds or grass over one foot 
in height to grow or stand on the sidewalk abut- 
ting such premises. In commenting on this ordi- 
nance, which has been hailed as the first of its 
kind to be adopted in America, the New York 
City Department of Health calls attention to Sec- 
tion 221 of the New York Sanitary Code, which 
was adopted a year ago and reads as follows: 
"Growth of poison ivy and rag weed prohibited. 
No person owning, occupying, or having charge 
of any lot or premises in the City of New York 
shall cause, suffer, or allow poison ivy, rag weed, 
or other poisonous weed to grow therein or there- 
on in such manner that any part of such ivy, rag 
weed, or other poisonous weed shall extend upon, 
overhang, or border upon any public place, or 
allow the seed pollen or other poisonous particles 
or emanations therefrom to be carried through 
the air into any public place." 

Hodgkin's Disease 

Q. What are the nature, symptoms and 
cure of Hodgkin's disease? If not curable, 
can its progress be retarded by proper living. 

A. The cause of this disease has not yet been 
satisfactorily determined. It is probably allied 
to tuberculosis. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 183 

This disease has generally been regarded as 
incurable. Recently however, the application of 
the x-ray, by the so-called intensive method has 
secured results which give some promise of suc- 
cess. A person suffering from this disease 
should place himself under the care of a com- 
petent physician and an up-to-date x-ray spe- 
cialist. 

Hiccough 

Q. What is the cause of hiccough and how 
may it be relieved? 

A. Hiccough is produced by a sudden spasm 
of the diaphragm. It may be excited by eating 
too much, thus causing indigestion and irri- 
tation of the stomach, drinking a large quantity 
of cold water, or by long continued or im- 
moderate laughter. It also occurs, sometimes, in 
the last stages of wasting diseases, when it is re- 
garded as a very grave symptom, indicating ap- 
proaching dissolution. 

Treatment: Hiccough can generally be 
stopped by taking a very small sip of very cold 
water or swallowing a small piece of ice. It 
may also generally be checked by holding the 
breath a long time, so as to interrupt the 
paroxysm, which occurs at regular intervals. 



184 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

(Vhen it is very obstinate, and is evidently the 
result of indigestion, 'the stomach should be 
washed out with a stomach tube. 

Hookworm 

Q. What is the nature of hookworm? 

A. This disease is one of the most prevalent, 
most harmful and most certainly curable of all 
diseases. It is more or less prevalent through- 
out the world. More than half the population of 
the globe are exposed to this malady. The dis- 
ease was known to the ancient Egyptians, al- 
though its cause was not understood. It is less 
than a hundred years since the discovery of the 
hookworm by an Italian physician. It was first 
discovered in this country in Porto Rico in 1899. 
Three years later it was discovered in the south- 
ern states. It is believed that the disease was 
brought to this country through the slave trade. 
In some parts of the South ninety per cent of 
the whole population are found affected by this 
disease. It is more frequent in country dis- 
tricts than in cities. It is especially prevalent 
among the so-called mountain whites of the 
South. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 185 

Lightning Stroke 

Q. What should be done in a case of 
lightning stroke? 

A. Suspended respiration in consequence of 
lightning stroke, calls for the application of arti- 
ficial respiration. Any one of the methods may 
be employed. Burns, fracture of the bones, 
paralysis, and various other injuries which re- 
sult by injury from lightning should be treated 
as when produced by other causes. 

Resuscitation After Electric Shock 

Q. What is the best means of reviving a 
person who has been rendered unconscious 
and apparently killed by electric shock? 

A. It has long been known that the same 
methods which have been found useful after 
drowning or asphyxia from smoke are also ser- 
viceable and often successful in cases of electric 
shock. Artificial respiration by any of the sev- 
eral methods elsewhere described should be ap- 
plied at the earliest possible moment. The tongue 
should be pulled forward by seizing with a hand- 
kerchief or a bit of cloth, and should be held 
forward to keep the throat clear. If necessary 
the jaws are propped open by a thick fold of cloth 
or paper placed between the teeth. 



186 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The best means of applying artificial respiration 
is the pulmotor. This instrument should always 
be at hand where there is danger of injury from 
electric shock. The apparatus is automatic when 
once set in operation and is most efficient. It fills 
the lungs with oxygen and then empties the lungs 
and fills them again thus continuing until the 
supply of compressed oxygen is gone. The lung 
motor is a pump which may be used in a similar 
manner, but is somewhat less efficient. 

Another measure which has recently been used 
with success is violent slapping of the feet with 
a stick without removing the shoes. Lifting the 
legs and trunk high as possible then dropping 
upon the ground, the head being left upon the 
ground, is another method which is said to be 
useful. It is well to be prepared to practice all 
these methods in succession or more or less 
simultaneously as none of them are infallible. 

Suitable applications of water are also useful. 
Hot fomentations to the spine alternating every 
half minute with ice rubbing, may arouse the 
paralyzed centers of the spinal cord and thus 
aid in restoring normal action of the heart and 
lungs. Cold applications to the chest are also 
very useful. They should be short and accom- 
panied with slapping of the chest. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 187 

Enlarged Lymph Glands 

Q. What is the cause of enlarged lymph 
glands ? 

A. The cause of enlarged lymphatic glands 
is usually tuberculosis. In the majority of cases 
recovery takes place spontaneously. This is be- 
cause the glands are good fighters in the first 
place. It is their business to resist germs. They 
are policemen placed about the citadel of life for 
the purpose of protecting it. Suppose there were 
a row of police — a hundred in line — standing in 
front of a house, and that burglars were com- 
pelled to fight every one of those policemen before 
they could get into the house; it would stand a 
very good chance of remaining unmolested. In 
just this way, the lymphatic glands are policemen. 
If a sliver lodges in the finger, and a nest of 
germs attacks the body, then the lymphatic glands 
in the neighborhood come to the rescue and be- 
come enlarged. The nearer we approach the 
center of the body, the greater number of glands 
we find to oppose the germs. Germs must fight 
their way through a long procession of glands 
before they can obtain a foothold in the interior 
of the body. 

But when germs get into the glands themselves, 
the power of the latter is vastly crippled. If they 
become seriously affected, they should be re- 



188 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

moved ; yet people are often in too great a hurry 
to have the glands removed. They are the nat- 
ural barriers of the body and when they are 
broken down there is nothing to prevent the 
germs from establishing themselves in the body. 

Malarial Chills 

■• 

Q. Can malarial chills be cured without 
medicine? 

A. Nearly four hundred years ago, Don 
Alexis, of Piedmont, Italy, was treating cases of 
malarial fever successfully by means of sweat- 
ing baths applied just before the beginning of a 
chill. The patients were first rubbed with hot 
linen cloths, then warmly wrapped and made to 
perspire. The same method, in one form or an- 
other, is still in use by the laity in various parts 
of the world. 

The writer was cured of a very severe attack 
of intermittent fever nearly fifty years ago by 
a corn sweat, prescribed by an old lady who had 
used it successfully in a large number of cases. 
The remedy often succeeds at the* very first ap- 
plication, though sometimes three or more ap- 
plications were needed, as observed by Don 
Alexis. 

Among the laity of Germany, a method em- 
ployed by Priessnitz, and probably in use long 
before his time, consisted in the cold douche. On 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 189 

the first approach of a chill, several pailfuls of 
cold water were poured over the patient. He was 
then vigorously rubbed, put to bed, wrapped with 
woolen blankets, and made to perspire vigor- 
ously. This method answers very well in persons 
with strong constitutions. A combination of the 
two methods is most effective. 

It must be added that while the cure of ma- 
larial infection is often possible without the use 
of quinine, in most cases it is well to use quinine 
in connection with the methods outlined above. 
By this means the treatment succeeds more 
quickly. The dose of quinine required is small, 
usually not more than five grains repeated at 
proper intervals until fifteen or twenty grains 
have been taken. 

Mouth-Breathing 

Q. How may mouth-breathing be cor- 
rected? 

A. The nose should have attention. There is 
probably more or less obstruction of one or both 
nostrils. If the habit still continues, the mouth 
should be closed by some suitable appliance dur- 
ing sleep. A thin strip of celluloid fitted in be- 
tween the lips and the teeth answers the pur- 
pose very well. The lips may be closed by strips 
of adhesive plaster. 

Mouth-breathing during sleep is evidence of the 



190 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

presence of adenoids. A nose and throat specialist 
should be consulted and the adenoids should be 
removed, the earlier the better, as mouth-breath- 
ing gives rise to malformations of the upper jaw, 
and also of the nasal and other facial bones, and 
defects of speech, while the diseased condition 
to which the adenoids is due may extend into the 
Eustachian tubes, and may even affect the hear- 
ing. Miental impairment also has been traced to 
adenoids and other conditions which give rise to 
mouth-breathing. 

The Pulmotor 

Q. What is the pulmotor? 

A. The most successful method of applying 
artificial respiration is by means of the pul- 
motor, a new invention by means of which 
oxygen is forced into the lungs, making the 
chest act as in ordinary respiration. This method 
has been successful in reviving persons who 
have apparently been dead for some minutes. It 
should always be used in cases of suspended re- 
spiration from whatever cause. It has been 
especially successful in cases of apparent death 
from electrical shock. 

In choking, strangling, hanging, and when- 
ever respiration is suspended by any cause what- 
ever, the methods of artificial respiration de- 
scribed should be employed. In cases of 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 191 

suspended respiration from the use of chloroform 
or any anesthetic, the head should be placed 
lower than other parts of the body. In case of 
heart failure, sharp percussion over the heart 
should be tried and repeated many times. 
Rhythmical traction of the tongue is a method 
for restoring respiration, which should never be 
neglected. 

Pneumonia 

Q. . Is there any drug which will cure pneu- 
monia? 

A. It is now known that pneumonia is an in- 
fectious disease and it runs a regular course like 
measles, small pox and other contagious diseases. 
It is also probably infectious like these diseases. 
No intelligent physician at the present time will 
administer drugs to a pneumonia patient with 
the expectation that the pneumonia will be cured 
thereby; in fact there is no treatment which 
will cure pneumonia, but there are many simple 
measures of treatment which are of great service 
in the disease. Among these are the cold com- 
press or ice bag to the chest during the early 
stages of the disease which is a most efficient 
means of relieving cough and pain and lessen- 
ing the intensity of the disease. The cold ap- 
plication should be removed for five minutes 
about once in twenty minutes. When there is 
much pain a short hot fomentation may be ap- 



192 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

plied for two or three hours. A hot blanket pack 
from the hips down is an excellent means of re- 
lieving pulmonary congestion. The patient 
should take a glass of water every hour. The 
bowels should be opened by means of enemas 
administered two or three times a day. The 
patient is greatly benefited by being kept in the 
open air. In one of the largest children's 
hospitals in New York very young children who 
are suffering from pneumonia are kept out of 
doors, constantly, even during the very coldest 
weather. They are of course well wrapped to 
prevent chilling. The children are permitted 
to breathe very cold air with the greatest possible 
benefit. Many apparently hopeless cases have 
thus been saved. A prolonged very hot bath 
taken in the beginning of an attack of pneumonia 
may lessen the intensity of the disease and 
shorten its course. 

Fomentations exercise a favorable influence 
upon the cough. Sipping hot water is also an 
excellent measure for relieving cough. 

How to Prevent Pneumonia 

Q. Is pneumonia catching? Can it be pre- 
vented or avoided? 

A. Recent investigations have shown that 
there are four types of pneumonia, varying in 
virulence and fatality. One form of the disease 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 193 

is produced by germs which are found in the 
mouths of people who live in cities. This form 
of the disease, fortunately, produces a very mild 
type of the disease and is rarely fatal. 

The other types of pneumonia are caught by 
infection from other persons just as is typhoid 
fever, small pox and measles. 

The germs of pneumonia are sent into the air 
by coughing, sneezing and speaking. In this 
way the infection is scattered. Persons who 
have apparently recovered from pneumonia often 
carry the germs in the nasal secretions and 
sputum for weeks, possibly longer, and thus be- 
come carriers of the disease. 

Two things are necessary to produce pneu- 
monia, a pneumonia germ and a susceptible pa- 
tient. A person whose resistance is sufficiently 
high may meet any numher of pneumonia germs 
without danger. The germs are received, but 
they are unable to obtain a foothold and develop 
the characteristic disease. 

Fresh air in abundance day and night, care 
in diet, avoidance of poison habits, alcohol, to- 
bacco, tea, coffee, etc., daily cold bathing, avoid- 
ance of contact with persons suffering from pneu- 
monia, grip or hard colds, these are the principal 
means Of increasing resistance and combating the 
disease. 



194 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Pellagra and Meat Diet 

Q. Is a meat diet necessary in pellagra? 

A. In the investigation of the cause of 
pellagra made by the United States Public 
Health Service the conclusion was reached that 
the real cause of pellagra was not to be found 
in moldy corn or any form of infection but in 
a defective dietary. Meat was among the articles 
recommended as beneficial in pellagra cases. 
Meat is not necessary to prevent pellagra. The 
conviction is gaining ground among physicians 
that the cause of pellagra is a lack of vita- 
mines in the food. It is true that vitamines are 
present in meat but the amount of vitamines 
present in flesh foods is not greater than that 
found in most vegetable foods ; indeed, vitamines 
are much more plentiful in certain vegetables 
than in meats; this is particularly true of peas 
and beans. In speaking upon this subject Doctor 
Goldberger admitted that the use of meat was 
not necessary provided eggs, milk, peas or beans 
were supplied. Observations made in the treat- 
ment of beri-beri and allied diseases showed that 
the addition of beans to the diet was a much 
more efficient method in curing and preventing 
beri-beri than the use of meat. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 195 

Enlargement of the Prostate Gland 

Q. What is the cause of this condition and 
how may it be remedied? 

A. Men only are subject to this disease. The 
prostate gland in men is a structure analogous 
to the womb or uterus in women. Chronic en- 
largement of the prostate gland is a condition 
closely akin to the development of fibroid tumors 
of the uterus. A temporary enlargement of the 
prostate gland may be due to inflammation. In 
such cases increased activity of the bowels, the 
avoidance of irritating condiments and flesh 
foods and copious water drinking are measures 
which should not be neglected. A very hot sitz 
bath or a hot hip and leg pack are the best means 
of affording relief from pain. These applications 
may be repeated several times a day. After the 
pain subsides colder baths may be used. A pro- 
longed sitz bath at 80° to 70° F. continued for 
ten or fifteen minutes is the best means of com- 
bating congestion which follows acute inflam- 
mation. Chronic enlargement of the prostate 
gland is a very serious condition quite common 
in men past middle life. It is, in fact one 
of the gravest conditions to which men in ad- 
vanced years are subject, and is the cause of an 
enormous amount of suffering and not a few 
deaths. Nearly all of this suffering and mortality 



196 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

might be saved if attention were given in time. 
As the gland becomes enlarged it interferes more 
and more with the discharge of urine from the 
bladder. After a time a considerable quantity 
of urine is retained, and the so-called residual 
urine of the bladder is never emptied. Oc- 
casionally the bladder becomes over-distended 
and there is continued leaking or drippling of 
urine, giving the patient the impression that he is 
passing an excessive quantity of urine. In a case 
of this sort encountered by the writer 
the bladder was found to contain more 
than two quarts of very foul smelling urine as a 
result of the retention. The urine readily under- 
goes decomposition and inflammation of the 
bladder is set up. After a time the inflammation 
extends to the kidneys and when both of the kid- 
neys become involved death is likely to follow as 
a result of uremic coma. In the early stages sim- 
ple enlargement of the prostate may generally be 
relieved by the prolonged cold sitz bath, ad- 
ministered daily for several weeks or months. 
The temperature of the bath should be 80° at 
first and gradually reduced to 70° or even 
60° F. The duration of the bath should 
be ten to fifteen minutes. When the prostate be- 
comes enlarged to such a degree that mechanical 
obstruction occurs and the bladder cannot 
empty itself of its contents a catheter must be 
used several times daily for temporary relief. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 197 

As soon as the usually present infection of the 
bladder can be relieved a surgical operation for 
the removal of the obstruction should be per- 
formed. This operation was formerly attended 
by great danger to life but improved methods 
which have come into vogue within the last few 
years render the operation practically safe, espe- 
cially when it can be performed before the kid- 
neys have become seriously involved. The 
greatest danger connected with the operation re- 
sults from the use of ether or chloroform. 
Fortunately this danger may now be avoided 
thanks to the improved methods of administer- 
ing laughing gas, which may be safely employed. 

Quinine 

Q. Is there such a thing as quinine fever? 

A. Half a century ago, the pioneer settlers 
of Michigan, Indiana and other states, which 
then constituted the West, suffered greatly from 
malarial infection, and sometimes not finding 
relief from quinine, successfully adopted a 
plan of wearing out the disease. These vet- 
erans in the warfare with one of the most terrible 
parasites whicfr has ever afflicted the human race, 
learned by experience that paroxysms of chill 
and fever sometimes followed the use of qui- 
nine, a fact which gave rise to the phrase, then 
current, "quinine chills." Modern studies of 



198 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

the effects of quinine upon the human organism 
have explained these puzzling facts. It has long 
been known that quinine is a protoplasmic 
poison. It weakens the parasites, but at the 
same time weakens the white blood cells. This 
has been shown by numerous observers, among 
others Binz, Baxter, Martin, Jerusalimsky, and 
Cohnheim. Hare showed that one part of qui- 
nine in twenty thousand parts of blood arrests 
amoeboid movements and hence renders the leu- 
cocyte incapable of capturing the malarial Plas- 
modium. Professors Koch, Rivet and others 
have reported cases in which malarial paroxysm 
has occurred as a result of the administration 
of quinine and on examination of the blood 
showed the presence of parasites. In a case 
reported by the London Lancet some years 
ago (Sept. 22, 1906), doses of quinine ranging 
from' three-fourths of a grain to twenty grains 
were on four different occasions within two 
weeks followed by severe malarial paroxysms. 
Potter calls attention to this fact in his work 
on "Materia Medica," stating that malarial par- 
oxysms have been produced by quinine in many 
well authenticated instances, noting the fact that 
quinine never produced such effects except in 
malarial subjects. ' 

Jacobson finds the explanation of these inter- 
teresting observations in the fact that quinine 
paralyzes the white cells of the blood to such 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 199 

an extent that they are not able to recover them- 
selves before the parasites hiding away in the 
tissues when the quinine is present, return 
to the attack after its elimination. Being thus 
left defenseless, the body is at the mercy of 
the parasites. Thus, quinine instead of affect- 
ing a cure actually produces an aggravation of 
the disease by lessening the natural defenses. 
It cannot be denied that quinine renders valuable 
service in the treatment of malarial fever, but 
it is important that the possible evil effects 
which arise from its use should also be recog- 
nized and especially that the important fact 
should be borne in mind that the real cure of 
malarial fever, whether with or without the use 
of quinine, is accomplished by the natural 
powers of the body, especially by the leucocytes 
whereby the Plasmodium is captured and de- 
stroyed. 

Muscular Electricity 

Q. Is it true that electricity is generated in 
the body? 

A. Experiments upon both human beings and 
animals have clearly demonstrated that the 
human body is a real electrical battery, gener- 
ating appreciable quantities of electricity by 
every vital act. Every muscular contraction 
generates a current of electricity, the exact 
quantity and quality of which can be determined 



200 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

by the proper instruments. There is no special 
electrical apparatus in the human body, as in 
certain fishes and other curious animals which 
produce this subtle agent in prodigious quanti- 
ties, but the whole body develops it. Every 
breath we draw in, every heart beat, every wink 
of the eye, even every thought, generates the 
same element that darts destruction from the 
thunder cloud, and flashes intelligence around 
the world. 

Round Shoulders 

Q. What is the best method of correcting 
a case of round shoulders in a young woman 
twenty-one years of age? 

A. A correct position in sitting and exer- 
cises for developing the arm and shoulder 
muscles are necessary. In sitting, standing and 
walking the chest should be held high, the ab- 
dominal muscles being well drawn in, the hips 
held back, while the chest is held forward. 
Swimming is, perhaps, the best of all exercises 
for the correction of this condition. Lying 
upon the back and raising the head is also a 
good exercise. 

The daily use of corrective exercises, such 
as lying upon the face and raising the head 
backward, bending backward, and rowing are es- 
sential in all cases. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 201 

The most important measure of all is a correct 
sitting posture. For this a proper chair is needed, 
one which will support the center of the back. 
In the absence of a properly constructed chair, a 
cushion may be placed at the small of the back. 
The chest must be held up and the chin in. 

Seasickness 

Q. What is the cause of seasickness and 
how may it be avoided? 

A. It is now believed that seasickness is due 
to the excessive stimulation of the pneumogastric 
nerve, causing spasmodic contraction of the 
stomach and abdominal muscles. The irritation 
is due to the sudden and repeated disturbance 
of equilibrium due to the movements of the 
ship in one who is not accustomed to such 
movements. Young infants are never seasick, 
probably for the reason that they are accustomed 
to frequent changes of the position of the body. 

A sea-sick person should remain horizontal, 
with ice bag to back of neck, the eyes closed and 
a firm bandage applied over the stomach and ab- 
domen. A sand bag might serve the same pur- 
pose. Lying in a tub of water is also found 
beneficial. Some large ocean vessels are now 
supplied with swinging tanks in which one may 
enjoy complete immunity from seasickness. 



202 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Sty 

Q. What causes styes? 

A. Eye strain causing congestion of the eye. 
Consult an oculist. 

Violet Rays 

Q. How can one obtain the benefit of the 
violet rays without great expense? 

A. By exposure to the sun's rays. If the 
rays of the sun are so hot as to cause unpleas- 
ant effects, this difficulty can be overcome by al- 
lowing the rays to pass through colored glass. 

A better plan, however, is to protect the head 
by a shield of some sort, and then to expose the 
rest of the body in sections, making the time of 
exposure a little longer each day. "Tanning" 
the whole skin of the body is very beneficial. 

Snake Bite 

Q. What is the best remedy for the bite of 
a rattle snake and is whiskey beneficial? 

A. When a person has been bitten by a rat- 
tle snake or any other venomous serpent, the 
following measures should be adopted. 1. 
Place around the limb, a short distance above 
the wound, a cord, tying it as tightly as pos- 
sible. A whip-cord, shoe-string, neck-tie, strap, 
or anything which can be made to answer the 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 203 

purpose of a ligature, may be used. It should 
be sufficiently tight to cut of! the circulation. 
This may be accomplished by placing a small 
stick beneath the cord and twisting it tight about 
the limb. 2. If possible, cut out the bitten part, 
being sure to include all of the poisoned tissue. 
3 If there is no sore, ulcer, or abrasion in the 
mouth, it will be safe and proper to next pro- 
ceed to suck the wound, as the poison will do no 
harm if not received into the circulation. Freely 
incise the bitten place and rub in crystals of 
permanganate of potash or apply a solution of 
chloride of lime (teaspoonful to the pint). Sur- 
round the patient with blankets and hot bottles. 
Wash stomach every half hour with stomach 
tube until dangerous symptoms disappear. An 
anti-venom has been prepared which protects 
against cobra bite but is of very little value 
against other snake bites. Alcohol in the form 
of whiskey or brandy has been very frequently 
shown to be no antidote. The popular belief 
that alcoholic liquors are necessary in the treat- 
ment of. snake bite has been abundantly shown 
to be without foundation. According to Wil- 
son, one in twenty of the deaths from snake- 
bite in the United States are due to the large 
quantities of whiskey given. It should be recol- 
lected that many of those bitten are not poisoned, 
to which fact may be attributed the supposed 



204 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

efficacy of many remedies which have been 
recommended. 

Osteopathy 

Q. What is osteopathy? 

A. This system, which has come into con- 
siderable prominence within recent years, in 
many respqcts , resembles the Swedish system 
though differing from it in some particulars. The 
practitioners of this system make use of many 
movements of the Swedish system, as well as the 
various forms of manipulation known as mas- 
sage, but lay special stress upon the manipulation 
of the joints, especially those of the spine and 
particularly those of the upper part of the spine. 
The central idea of this system appears to be 
that the spinal vertebrae are very liable to dis- 
placements or changes of position, or what might 
be termed dislocations, and these displacements, 
however slight, are likely to be accompanied by 
grave symptoms which may manifest themselves 
either locally or in some other part. It is main- 
tained that various acute and chronic disorders 
supposed to be due to this cause through vaso- 
motor or sympathetic disturbances which are set 
up thereby are promptly relieved by the restor- 
ation of the displaced parts to normal position. 

The amount of scientific evidence which has 
thus far been presented by the practitioners of 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 205 

this system in support of their contention has 
not been sufficiently great to convince any con- 
siderable number of scientific physicians of the 
correctness of the theories advanced, although 
it is evident that a great number of persons have 
been benefited by manipulations which they have 
received. The question remains, however, 
whether the benefit received was the result of a 
restoration of misplaced hones or cartileges to 
their normal position or whether they were the 
result of the improved circulation and other 
benefits flowing from the manipulations, wholly 
independent of any mechanical effects. It is evi- 
dent that many of the claims made by the ad- 
vocates of this system are not consistent with 
the proven facts of scientific medicine, and the 
writer may add that he has had occasion to meet 
in a professional way a very large number of 
persons who have been treated, often for very 
considerable periods of time, without benefit by 
osteopathic practitioners, and who were speedily 
restored to health by the correction of the 
erroneous habits of life to which their defects 
were really attributable rather than to mere 
mechanical causes, either in the spinal column or 
elsewhere. 



206 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Thirst Cure 

Q. Is there any advantage to be gained by 
the thirst cure? 

A. It has been claimed that by withhold- 
ing water the body will be compelled to burn 
up its waste matters more actively. But care- 
fully conducted experiments carried out by Solo- 
mon on two subjects showed most conclusively 
that the amount of oxygen consumed by persons 
undergoing the thirst cure is not at all increased, 
which is sufficient proof that there is no increase 
of oxidation and hence no advantage to be 
gained from this standpoint. 

Source of Animal Heat 

Q. What is the source of animal heat? 

A. It was formerly supposed that heat was 
generated by a special mechanism under the 
control of the central nervous system. It is now 
known that this is an error. Heat is regarded 
as a by-product in the human body as it is in 
the operation of the steam engine. In case cf 
the human body, the heat, though a waste prod- 
uct, serves a useful and necessary purpose ex- 
cept, of course, when it is produced in greater 
excess than is necessary to maintain the temper- 
ature of the body at 100° F. Under ordinary cir- 
cumstances two-thirds of all the energy con- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 207 

tained in the food reappears as animal heat. 
The other third is dissipated in external work 
performed by the muscles. For a given amount 
of work the same amount of energy is required 
whether the work is done in summer or in win- 
ter. In summer time the the body generally di- 
minishes somewhat in weight because the appetite 
fails on account of the depressing influence of 
heat so that the intake of energy becomes less 
than the output. The negro and other natives of 
tropical countries have in this respect an advant- 
age over the v/hite men, for they escape the de- 
pressing influence of heat, being able to eat as 
much in hot weather as in cold weather, and they 
are able to make good their energy expenditures 
and do not lose weight. Rubner attributes this 
advantage of the negro to the fact that he is a 
vegetarian, remarking: "The negro, however, 
is able in summer to take a full diet owing to the 
small amount of protein which he consumes," 
also "because he is wonderfully free from fat." 

Hernia 

Q. Can rupture be cured without an oper- 
ation? 

A. A truss applied very early in young per- 
sons, well fitted and worn constantly will some- 
times effect a cure if the rupture is slight in ex- 
tent. Other non-surgical methods are altogether 



208 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

unreliable and some are dangerous. An opera- 
tion is safe, and in skilled hands nearly always 
succeeds. 

Small Hernia Dangerous 

Q. Is a small rupture the size of a hickory 
nut likely to do any harm? 

A. Small ruptures are much more danger- 
ous than large ones since they are more likely 
to produce obstruction. All ruptures are dan- 
gerous and when possible should be cured by a 
radical operation. 

Flesh Building Diet 

Q. Kindly indicate a flesh-building diet. 

A. Avoid meats, eat an abundance of fruits, 
rice and Other cereals, fresh vegetables, ripe 
olives or olive oil, and take care that the bowels 
move two or three times a day. Nuts, sweet 
butter, cream, buttermilk, raw eggs beaten in 
milk, hot milk with a pinch of salt, simple pud- 
dings are all fattening foods. Drink an abund- 
ance of pure water between meals, morning and 
night. Live in the open air. Sleep outdoors. 
Take a cold rub or "salt glow" every morning. 

When it is desirable to make a decided gain in 
weight there is no better means than the milk 
regimen. Five or six quarts must be taken daily 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 209 

to insure an actual gain. Four quarts are needed 
to maintain the weight. More must be taken to 
insure a gain. 

Typhoid Fever 

Q. Will water drinking cure typhoid fever? 

A. There are physicians who believe that a 
glass of water taken every hour is about the only 
treatment a typhoid fever patient needs. 

Copious water drinking has been shown to be 
an efficient means of combating the pronounced 
toxemia of typhoid fever. Cushing and Clark 
reported {American Journal of Medical Sci- 
ences) most excellent results from this method. 
They made the patient drink four ounces of 
water every fifteen minutes when awake, and 
gave besides every two hours during the day 
and once or twice at night in alternation six 
ounces of milk and six ounces of albumin 
water. They found that the patients were 
soon able to take from a gallon to a gallon 
and a half of water every twenty- four hours. 
They found great amelioration of all the toxic 
symptoms, the tongue and mouth remained clean 
and moist, headache was little troublesome, 
apathy, restlessness, delirium and other symp- 
toms of toxemia were less pronounced, nausea 
seldom occurred, and the fever was easily con- 
trolled. Fifty-six cases were treated without a 



210 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

single death, although the epidemic prevailing in 
the neighborhood was of a severe type and the 
mortality large. 

Typhoid Carrier 

Q. What is a typhoid carrier? 

A. It has been discovered in recent years 
that certain persons are microbe carriers. 

When a person suffers from pneumonia, scar- 
let fever, diphtheria, or typhoid fever, recov- 
ery, if it takes place, is due to the development 
of immunity. That is, the tissues of the pa- 
tient develop such a degree of tolerance for the 
infecting microbe that its presence is no longer 
capable of giving rise to serious symptoms. 
Typhoid, diphtheria or pneumonia patients do 
not recover because the bacteria which produce 
the disease have left the body, but because the 
body has acquired ability to successfully com- 
bat the invading bacteria or to render its poisons 
innocuous. 

Numerous observations have been made that 
show in the case of typhoid fever the subjects 
of this disease continue to discharge daily from 
their intestines millions of typhoid fever germs 
for three months or more. A recent epidemic 
of typhoid in New York in which the infection 
was conveyed through milk was traced to infec- 
tion by a typhoid carrier who had suffered from 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 211 

typhoid fever in the west some forty-six years 
previously. 

A most remarkable typhoid carrier is Mary 
Mallon, the famous 'Typhoid Mary," a cook, 
who has carried typhoid germs about with her for 
more than fifty years, although it could not be 
learned that she herself ever suffered from an 
attack of the disease. The probability is that 
she suffered from an attack of the disease in so 
light a form that its real nature was not dis- 
covered; nevertheless she was the cause of ty- 
phoid fever outbreaks in eight families in which 
she worked at different times. Although con- 
fined for a time, "Typhoid Mary" is now free 
and may be employed by some family as a cook. 

Careful bacteriologic investigations have 
shown that in every community two or three 
persons out of every hundred carry about with 
them continually diphtheria germs, while two or 
three in every thousand persons are typhoid 
carriers. This important fact explains the oc- 
casional occurrence of outbreaks of typhoid 
fever, diphtheria and other diseases that cannot 
be traced to direct infection from persons suf- 
fering from an acute attack of the same mal- 
adies. 



212 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Precautions Against Typhoid 

Q. What precautions are necessary in eat- 
ing in a house which contains typhoid fever? 

A. Everything eaten in such a house should 
be thoroughly sterilized by boiling or exposure 
to the heat of a hot oven before eating. There 
is still more danger if there is any communica- 
tion, either direct or indirect, with the fever 
patient. It should also be remembered that flies 
are a common means of conveying typhoid fever 
infection. Hence precautions should be taken 
to exclude flies from the fever patient and also 
from contact with all eatables. 

Vaccination Against Typhoid Fever 

Q. Has the new method of vaccination 
against typhoid fever proved successful? 

A. The method of vaccination against ty- 
phoid fever perfected by Dr. Wright of Lon- 
don, has now been very extensively used in the 
army of the United States and other countries 
and is found to be highly successful. The 
method is harmless and the protection is said 
to last for at least three years. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 213 

Diphtheria Carriers 

Q. Is there any means by which persons 
who have had diphtheria and still harbor the 
germs in their throats may be cured so that 
they will not be a menace to those with whom 
they associate? 

A. Yes; a simple remedy has recently been 
suggested. Lactic acid forming germs are an- 
tagonistic to all forms of disease producing germs 
outside the body as well as in the body. 

Moffit suggests the use of fresh buttermilk 
as a gargle in patients who have had diphtheria 
but in whose throats cultures of the diphtheria 
bacillus were present after all other manifesta- 
tions of the disease had disappeared, The plain 
buttermilk was used five or six times a day and 
from his experience with nine cases, Moffit be- 
lieved that the diphtheria organisms will be dis- 
placed entirely within three days, while pure cul- 
tures of the lactic acid bacillus will be found on 
the swab. 

This is in harmony with a suggestion recently 
made to use cultures of the bacillus bulgaricus 
for the same purpose. Swabbing the" throat (or 
gargling) two or three times daily with a good 
liquid culture of this organism is sufficient 
to render the throat free from dangerous or- 
ganisms and to facilitate the releasing of the pa- 



214 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

tient from quarantine. It was also suggested 
that this same procedure might be equally useful 
in diphtheria. 

Varicocele 

Q. Can varicocele be cured by natural 
methods? 

A. Varicocele is curable by a slight opera- 
tion. Radical relief cannot be obtained in any 
other way. 

Water Drinking in Dropsy 

Q. If a person is dropsical, or if water 
collects in any part of the body, should he 
refrain from drinking water or any kind of 
liquids? 

A. It is not necessary for one to refrain 
from drinking water in dropsy. The dropsy is 
not diminished by lessening the amount of water 
taken by the mouth. 

Lithia Water 

Q. Do you recommend lithia water in case 
of inflammation of the bladder? 

A. Yes; lithia water is good, but not better 
than ordinary water. In general, water should be 
freely used in case of inflammation of the bladder 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 215 

for the purpose of diluting the urine. It is im- 
material whether the water contains a little lithia 
or not. Ordinary lithia water contains such a 
small amount of lithia that at least a barrel full 
would be required for an ordinary dose of this 
drug. It is immaterial, however, whether the 
proportion of lithia is large or small, as it has 
been clearly shown by modern investigations that 
lithia has no value whatever as a remedy for uric 
acid conditions, or diseases of the kidneys and 
bladder. 

Hard Water 

Q. Does the body appropriate for bones 
and teeth the lime or calcium carbonate from 
ordinary hard water? 

A. We know of no evidence that the mineral 
constituents of hard water can serve as food or 
nutriment to the body. In the foodstuffs the 
lime exists in an organized form in which it 
is prepared for assimilation. The lime found 
in hard water is an ordinary inorganic mineral 
compound. The best sources of lime are oat- 
meal, graham bread, bran, milk and vegetables, 
especially "greens." Potatoes, sugar, rice, fine 
flour bread, meats, butter, lard and other fats, 
contain practically no lime. Milk and bran are 
very rich in lime, also turnip "greens" and spin- 
ach. These same foods are rich in iron. Lime 
and iron are usually associated in foodstuffs. 



216 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Mineral Waters 

Q. Why are mineral waters harmful? Are 
they not Nature's healing remedies? 

A. Laxative mineral waters are harmful, be- 
cause they irritate the mucous membrane and 
in time produce intestinal catarrh. They also 
expose the liver and kidneys to the harmful ef- 
fects of overwork. Mineral waters are no more 
natural healing agencies than are minerals them- 
selves. No one would think of recommending 
iron pyrites or limestone as a healing agent; 
neither are the great salt beds or alkali deposits 
regarded as natural healing agents. Mineral 
waters are simply rain water which has been 
contaminated by coming in contact with various 
mineral substances while percolating through the 
earth. 

To call mineral waters "Nature's healing 
remedy" is a great misapplication of terms, and 
is an error which grows out of a misapprehension 
of what a natural healing agent is. Nature's 
healing remedies consist in those forces or 
agencies which are essential for the maintenance 
of life, and which are in constant use in carrying 
forward the ordinary life processes. The curative 
or therapeutic application of these remedies con- 
sists in so utilizing them as to intensify or con- 
centrate the effects which they ordinarily exer- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 217 

cise upon the body. Mineral waters are in no 
way beneficial to a healthy man. They may in 
some instances prove of temporary service in 
emergencies, but their constant use is now 
recognized as being highly detrimental. Many 
European physicians who formerly recommended 
mineral waters very freely to their patients, now 
condemn their use for the reasons above stated. 
There are many excellent natural waters which 
are remarkable for their extreme purity or free- 
dom from both mineral contamination and germs 
or bacteria. Such waters may be used freely, not 
only without harm, but even with very great 
safety and advantage. 

The Wassermann Test 

Q. What is the nature of this test and is it 
reliable? 

A. The Wassermann test is employed to de- 
termine whether a person is suffering from 
syphilitic infection. 

The test consists of obtaining a portion of the 
patient's blood and subjecting this to certain 
laboratory tests. When carefully done the test 
is found to be remarkably reliable. In certain 
cases the spinal fluid is used for making the test 
instead of the blood. 

It is important to know that a "positive" Was- 



218 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

sermann reaction is no evidence of immorality 
or vicious conduct. Syphilis has become so wide- 
spread that the disease may be quite easily con- 
tracted by accidental contact with the infection, 
either directly or indirectly. The disease is in 
many cases inherited. 

The Body Heals Itself 

Q. What is the process of cure? 

A. Said Dietl, pupil of the famous Ger- 
man pathologist, Rokitanski : "Nature alone can 
cure; this is the highest law of practical medi- 
cine, and the one to which we must adhere. . . 
Nature creates and maintains ; she must there- 
fore be able to cure." 

The healing power is in the blood; it is the 
blood that heals, or rather, the creative power 
which formed the body in the first place, and 
which repairs the damage done by the wear and 
tear of life. It is this same power which re- 
stores disordered functions and repairs damaged 
tissue. Physicians do not and cannot heal. 

Medicines, baths, and other so-called remedial 
measures are powerless to heal. All that phy- 
sicians and remedies can do is to aid in remov- 
ing causes of disease and supplying favorable 
conditions. Physiological measures, such as water, 
electricity, massage, exercise, and sunlight, 
regulation of diet and clothing, possess a won- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 219 

derful controlling influence over the healing 
power of the body by regulating the movement 
of the blood, the greatest of all remedial agencies ; 
and by stimulating the vital activities and con- 
trolling the vital forces by which the healing 
process is carried on. 

Aspirin 

Q. Is aspirin a harmless drug? 

A. By no means. All drugs are more or less 
harmful. The growing practice of dosing 
with aspirin whenever one may feel a twinge 
of pain, which may be attributed to rheumatism 
or neuralgia is greatly to be deplored. Rheu- 
matism or neuralgia are usually due to some 
error in one's habits of living. Aspirin only con- 
ceals the difficulty without removing its cause. 
Increased bowel activity, the disuse of meat, tea 
and coffee, warm bath at night, more exercise in 
the open air — these are measures which will in 
most cases cause quick disappearance of painful 
symptoms and will leave no unpleasant effects be- 
hind. A hot fomentation or hot water bag over 
the seat of pain will very likely afford relief. Do 
not dope ! All drugs are unfriendly to the tissues 
and do more or less harm when freely used. Some 
drugs are highly injurious in even very minute 
doses. Aspirin is less injurious than morphine 
but not harmless. 



220 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Tonics 

Q. Are tonics beneficial? 

A. The neurasthenic is constantly told that 
his nutrition is defective, that he needs building 
up. He seeks to accomplish this by means of 
tonics of various kinds, in most of which strych- 
nia is the dominant element. This ''building up" 
is purely factitious, for it is only through the 
use of natural physiologic agencies that tissue 
building can be accelerated or improved. Tonics 
make the patient feel better without making him 
better. They have been aptly termed "nerve 
foolers." They produce a false sense of vigor 
and energy, which results in the further drain- 
ing of the patient's already depleted stores of 
energy and vitality. 

Strychnia 

Q. Is strychnia a good tonic? 

A. No. There is no drug which can properly 
be called a good tonic. Strychnia has for gen- 
erations been the popular tonic. Countless thous- 
ands have been deceived by its delusive effects. 
Erroneous conceptions were responsible for the 
false confidence reposed in this powerful nerve 
excitant. Modern studies of nutrition have clearly 
demonstrated the futility of attempting to find 
any substitute for the vital energy generated by 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 221 

healthy cells acting under the influence of nor- 
mal or physiologic stimuli. The apparent in- 
crease in vigor which follows a dose of strychnia 
is not due to an actual addition to the sum of 
the bodily energies, but is simply the result of 
a forced expenditure of energy which is already 
depleted to the point of danger. Strychnia, and 
other similar drugs, are simply devices for getting 
energy out of a man which he cannot afford to 
spare, and which he ought to keep. 

Veronal 

Q. Is veronal a harmless drug? 

A. No indeed, it is not a harmless drug. It 
disturbs digestion and disturbs the nerves and 
is a foreign body which must be eliminated by 
the kidneys, which are thus compelled to do un- 
necessary work. 

Castor Oil 

Q. Is the frequent use of castor oil harm- 
ful? 

A. The frequent or habitual use of castor oil 
gives rise to colitis and produces very obstinate 
constipation. The same is true of other medicinal 
laxatives. Castor oil is rarely useful and cannot 
be used habitually without in the end doing much 
harm. Paraffin oil or paraffin in some form and 



222 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

the free use of bran or agar-agar are safe and 
efficient means which when properly employed 
obviate the necessity for the use of castor oil or 
other laxatives in nearly all cases. 

Dangerous Patent Medicines 

Q. Are patent medicines harmful? 

A. Hundreds of deaths occur annually as the 
result of patent medicines. Thousands become 
addicted to alcohol and other drug habits by the 
use of remedies containing these poisons. 

God Liver Oil 

Q. Is cod liver oil necessary in the treat- 
ment of consumption or any other disease? 

A. Cod liver oil is a time honored remedy 
the value of which has been overrated. Sweet 
cream, sterilized butter, olive oil, oil of almonds, 
and other vegetable oils are in every way su- 
perior to cod liver oil. 

The Opium Habit 

Q. Can the opium habit be cured without 
drugs ? 

A. The opium habit and other drug habits 
are very seldom cured hy the use of drugs. Any 
method to be successful must restore the pa- 
tient's nerve tone and build up his vital resistance 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 223 

and remove the causes of the suffering for the 
alleviation of which the drug is employed. This 
can be done without drugs. 

Gascara 

Q. Is cascara a harmless laxative? 

A. One of the most unfortunate results of 
chronic constipation is its by-product of drug 
habits. There are many substances, of course, 
course, that bring about action of the bowels 
that bring about action of the bowels with much 
promptitude, and with such evident relief that 
the sufferer resorts to the same remedy on the 
next occasion, without stopping to inquire 
whether the drug might not be as dangerous as 
the disease. The chances are he does not stop 
to consider the matter one way or another, but 
falls an easy victim to the habit of drug taking. 

One of the most vicious of these vile sub- 
stances is cascara, which contains irritating 
poisons, among them a substance known as an- 
thracin, which is extremely poisonous, and which 
may, if used for some time, produce colitis. 

At one time the writer discussed this matter 
of constipation and the drug habit with an 
eminent European physician, and the dis- 
tinguished scientist said : "There is nothing so 
bad as the chronic use of drugs." And when asked 



224 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

about his method of treatment in cases of bad 
constipation he said : "I regulate the diet." Noth- 
ing is no bad as the chronic use of drugs. 

Stomach Warmer 

Q. Is the use of the stomach warmer bene- 
ficial in indigestion? 

A. The application of heat to the stomach 
is one of the oldestand, aside from diet, one of 
the best remedies for various gastric discom- 
forts. A hundred years ago tin cans made con- 
cave to fit the body were to be found in almost 
every tin shop, and their use was continued ^lntil 
the manufacture of rubber hot-water bags was 
begun some fifty or sixty years ago. The writer 
well remembers an old-fashioned schoolmaster 
from Canada who came under his care many 
years ago, bringing with him a huge stomach 
heater of the sort described. 

Two hundred years before the invention of 
the tin stomach warmer, the warming stone was 
in common use, and was described in a medical 
work published in 1640 as "An Excellent Help 
really found out for cold, aged and sick Peo- 
ple — and for the Poor, who may borrow the 
heating of this stone at a neighbor's fire, if his 
Charity b,e not altogether cold ; for it will damni- 
fie him no more than lighting one candle by an- 
other/' 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 225 

Persons who suffer from discomfort after 
eating are usually greatly relieved by application 
of a hot water bag over the stomach while ly- 
ing down for half an hour or an hour after a 
meal. Hot sand bags answer the same purpose. 
When nausea or vomiting are present, the pa- 
tient should take care to lie on the left side as 
this position subjects the stomach to less strain 
and often prevents vomiting. 



The Blood and Blood Vessels 

The Blood Cells 

Q. In what part of the body is the blood 
produced? 

A. Carefully conducted researches have re- 
vealed the remarkable and interesting fact that 
the bones are active in the formation of blood 
cells. The marrow of the bone produces both 
red and white corpuscles. The white blood cor- 
puscles produced in the bones are somewhat 
different in appearance from those of the spleen 
and lymphatic glands, and in certain forms of 
disease are produced in excessive numbers. 

Poor Circulation 

Q. What may be done for poor circulation? 

A. The difficulty is probably due to a vaso- 
motor spasm of the vessels in the extremities. 
The most common cause is toxins absorbed from 
the intestine. The bowels should be made to 
move three or four times a day by regulation of 
the diet and the free use of sterilized bran and 
paraffin oil. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 227 

Effect of Fruits on the Blood 

Q. May the blood be made alkaline by eat- 
ing fruits and vegetables? 

A. We cannot make the blood alkaline or 
acid. 

The blood always remains neutral, but the 
tissues may become acid. They never can be- 
come alkaline. The body will not allow an 
excess of alkali because the alkalines have to 
be taken in but the acids are produced in the 
body. 

They are both introduced into die body by 
the foods but the acids are produced in the 
body also and consequently it is necessary for us 
to take a diet which is largely alkaline in order 
to neutralize the acids of the body. 

Normal Blood Count 

Q. What is the normal blood count and 
the normal blood pressure? 

A. The average number of red blood cells per 
cubic millimeter for men is five million; the nor- 
mal blood pressure is one hundred to one hun- 
dred twenty. 



228 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Blood Pressure 

Q. What is blood pressure and how is it 
determined? 

A. The pressure against which the heart 
works in any given case is determined by means 
of the sphygmomanometer. Examinations made 
with this instrument show great variation in the 
blood pressure in various diseased conditions. In 
fevers and in many other conditions in which 
great bodily weakness exists, the blood pressure is 
often found very low. In cases of Bright's dis- 
ease with arteriosclerosis, the blood pressure 
sometimes rises to three times the normal, or 
more than 300 millimeters of mercury. In shock, 
blood pressure falls far below the normal. 

High Blood Pressure 

Q. What is the significance of high blood 
pressure? 

A. A persistent high blood pressure compels 
the heart to do an enormous amount of extra 
work and wears it out, thus leading to dilatation 
of the heart and heart failure. With a blood 
pressure of 200 the heart does more than double 
the work required at 100. This extra labor wears 
the heart out rapidily. It is a very common thing 
to find the heart, blood-vessels and kidneys 
simultaneously diseased, so-called cardio-vas- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 229 

cular-renal disease. These grave cases require 
prompt and persistent attention. 

The rise of the blood pressure through harden- 
ing of the arteries is one of the early symptoms 
of approaching old age. It is also one of the 
premonitory symptoms of Bright's disease. 

Every person over forty years of age should 
have the blood pressure taken at least once a year. 
When this diseased condition is discovered in 
the early stages, much can be done by change of 
habits and by the application of proper treat- 
ment toward the arrest of the disease and im- 
provement of the patient's condition. A fall of 
twenty-five to fifty points, often more, is the 
usual result of special regimen and rational 
treatment in cases of high blood pressure. 

Climate for High Blood Pressure 

Q. Which is best for one who has high 
blood pressure, a warm or a cold climate ? 

A. The cold climate is better provided one 
keeps warm. One does not need to suffer from 
cold in a cold climate. The breathing of the cold 
air is a very great advantage in cases of high 
blood pressure because it supplies the body with 
oxygen and helps to carry off poisons. A warm 
climate has a very depressing effect upon the 
heart. This is a great disadvantage to persons 
suffering from high blood pressure. 



230 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Pressure Reducing Drugs 

Q. Is there any known medicine that will 
reduce high blood pressure? 

A. Yes, there are many drugs which will 
reduce blood pressure temporarily, or as long 
as the drug is being used. Nitroglycerine and 
nitrite of soda are especially active. The effect 
is disastrous, however, and death is hastened. 
Blood pressure should be reduced by removal 
of the cause. Pressure is never any higher than 
it needs to be. The injury is not from the high 
blood pressure, but from the poisons which pro- 
duce the high pressure and cause degenerations 
in the heart, kidneys and other organs. Pres- 
sure-lowering drugs are very rarely indicated 
and are very little used by up-to-date specialists 
in diseases of the heart. 

Sugar in the Blood 

Q. Is sugar normally found in the blood, 
and in what quantity? 

A. The normal blood contains about one part 
of sugar in one thousand. 

When the amount of sugar is greater than this 
sugar appears in the urine. In cases of diabetes 
the amount of sugar in the blood may become 
three or four times the normal. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 231 

In diabetes the sugar of the urine may be 
made to disappear while an excess of sugar 
in the blood still remains. 

Fainting 

Q. What causes fainting? 

A. For some one of many reasons the blood 
recedes from the brain and when the brain is too 
much depleted of blood unconsciousness results. 

Thick Blood 

Q. Does the blood ever become too thick? 

A. There is no doubt that the viscosity of the 
blood is sometimes abnormally increased. In 
common parlance, the blood becomes too thick. 
This increases the work of the heart in driving 
the blood through the small vessels and the blood 
pressure rises. 

Iodide of potash is often given to reduce 
viscosity of the blood. 

Recent scientific experiments show that a 
single hot bath taken for fifteen minutes may 
produce an effect in lowering the viscosity of the 
blood equal to the maximum effect which may 
be obtained from iodide of potash. There is this 
important difference, however, between these two 
agents : the bath may be repeated an indefinite 
number of times without any injurious effect 



232 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

upon the body, whereas the continuous use of 
iodide of potash sooner or later results in iodism 
and various pathological changes more or less 
grave in character. 

A fact which is highly worthy of note in this 
connection is that the changes produced in the 
viscosity of the blood by hot baths and cold baths 
have the same influence upon blood-pressure as 
do the vasomotor and other effects produced by 
hot and cold baths respectively ; that is, the warm 
baths lower blood-pressure by dilating the sur- 
face vessels and inhibiting the vasomotor centers, 
while at the same time lessening the viscosity of 
the blood and thereby diminishing the effort re- 
quired to force the blood from the arterial reser- 
voir through the arteries into the venous system 
of low-pressure reservoirs. 

Diminished Blood Cells 

Q. Is it possible for a person's health to 
improve while the blood cells are diminishing 
in number? 

A. An eminent physiologist, Von Hoesslin, 
called attention to the fact that when the weight 
of the body increases and health improves, 
the hemoglobin of the blood may diminish. 
This is not because the red cells or hemoglobin 
have been destroyed, but is simply an indica- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 233 

tion that the volume of the blood is increased 
or regenerated more rapidly than the red cells. 
The increase in the number of cells comes later. 

Vertigo 

Q. What is the cause of vertigo and what is 
the remedy? 

A. There are various causes. Here are a 
few : Menier's disease, a disease of the inner ear 
ear or labyrinth; arteriosclerosis; anemia; gen- 
eral weakness, especially a weak heart ; intestinal 
toxemia or autointoxication due to constipation 
and colon infection. 

When the attacks of vertigo occur only occa- 
sionally they are very likely due to indigestion. 
It must be remembered) however, that in certain 
mild forms of epilepsy the patient suffers from 
attacks which are often described as vertigo, the 
so-called petit mat. When the vertigo is constant 
or very frequent, some profound disturbance of 
the bodily functions almost certainly exists. This 
may be hardening of the arteries, degeneration 
of the heart or kidneys, or some other grave con- 
dition. Occasionally the giddiness may be the 
result of the use of drugs, especially of head- 
ache powders and sleep-producing drugs. Bro- 
mide of potash causes very severe vertigo when 
freely used. 

In every case of vertigo the cause must be 



234 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

diligently sought for and removed. When the 
attack is accompanied by pallor, the patient 
should lie down; or if this is inconvenient, he 
may simply bend the body forward so as to hold 
the head as low down as possible. If the face 
is flushed, the patient should lie down with the 
head welLpropped up and cold cloths should be 
applied to the neck and head. 

Not infrequently the cause of giddiness is sim- 
ply constipation. Poisons absorbed from the 
colon affect the brain as do certain drugs. An 
enema may be given for temporary relief, but the 
real remedy will be found in training the bowels 
to move well three or four times a day. 

Certain persons suffer from vertigo after tak- 
ing an enema. The cause may be the drawing 
of too much blood to the abdominal vessels. 
Using water at 80° F. or less will usually prevent 
the vertigo. 

Vertigo is likely to follow a very long hot 
bath because of the weakening effect of the bath 
upon the heart and the great dilatation of the sur- 
face vessels. A dash of cold water will cause 
the symptom to disappear. 

Vertigo with pallor may usually be relieved by 
a dash of cold water upon the face and chest or 
by applying hot cloths to the head. 

Neurasthenics often suffer much from vertigo. 
In such cases the vertigo is usually accompanied 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 235 

by a feeling of constriction or a "band sensation 
in the head with a sensation of pressure at the 
back of the head. There are also numbness" 
and other disturbances of sensation in various 
parts of the body. In these cases, hot applica- 
tions to the top and back of the head afford re- 
lief. Bathing the face with hot water is also 
beneficial. 

The Diaphragm and the Circulation 

Q. Does the diaphragm aid in the cir- 
culation of the blood? 

A. The diaphragm in its downward move- 
ments, not only draws air into the lungs by an 
action resembling that of the piston of a pump, 
but while producing a suction effect in the chest, 
the descending diaphragm at the same time 
compresses the liver, stomach and other viscera 
against the tense abdominal wall ; it thus empties 
them of blood, and so assists the portal circula- 
tion, by propelling the venous blood of the ab- 
domen toward the heart. 

The influence of the diaphragm also extends 
to the head and even more remote parts of the 
body. In fact, the diaphragm is one of the most 
important factors in the circulation of the blood. 

In order, however, for the diaphragm to aid 
the circulation it must have an opportunity to 
act efficiently. This it cannot do if it is cramped 



236 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

and hindered by tight clothing. As commonly 
worn corsets and waist bands greatly hinder the 
action of the diaphragm, preventing it from de- 
scending properly. 

A stooped or ""slumped" position in sitting or 
standing is most as injurious as waist constric- 
tion. This position relaxes the abdomen and so 
prevents the proper ascent of the diaphragm. 

Blushing 

Q. What is the cause of blushing? 

A. The sudden reddening of the cheeks 
known as blushing, is due to the influence of cer- 
tain emotions upon the vaso-motor center, that 
is, the part of the brain that controls the blood 
vessels of the body. In some persons, blushing 
is wholly confined to the cheeks, while in others 
it extends to the forehead, and in still others to 
the neck and shoulders. 

Apoplexy 

Q. What is the cause of apoplexy? 

A. Rupture of an artery. 

It is not often, however, that the artery rup- 
tures because of excessive pressure. A healthy 
artery is able to resist a pressure many times 
that to which it is usually subjected. The real 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 237 

cause of the rupture is weakening of the wall 
of the blood vessels the result of degenerative 
change. 

Arteriosclerosis — Hardening of the Arteries 

Q. What is arteriosclerosis? 

A. This disease is much more common than 
formerly supposed. The cause is the circula- 
tion of poisons in the blood. There are many 
poisons which produce hardening of the ar- 
teries. The most active of these are syphilis, 
lead, alcohol, tobacco, caffein, the poison of tea 
and coffee, and last, but not least, colon poisons. 
It is probable that poisons generated in the colon 
from the putrefaction of undigested portions of 
meat are the most common and most serious 
cause of hardening of the arteries and premature 
senility. A very common symptom which results 
from hardening of the arteries is a rise of blood 
pressure. The normal blood pressure is 100° to 
120° F. In arteriosclerosis the blood pressure 
may rise to 200 and even 300. In many cases 
changes of the arteries occur without a rise of 
blood pressure. 

An elevation of blood-pressure generally gives 
rise to very little inconvenience at first. Later 
come shortness of breath, insomnia, and num- 
erous other distressing symptoms. High blood- 
pressure is an exceedingly grave symptom, and 



238 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

when found present should lead to an immedi- 
ate change of habits in renouncing the use of 
tea, coffee, tobacco, alcohol or any other habit 
drug. 

Condiments must be discarded from the diet- 
ary; also meats of all sorts. The bowels must 
be made to move three or four times every 
day. 

Every possible means should be taken to sup- 
press the development and absorption of poisons. 
An out-of-door life, a large amount of moder- 
ate exercise and warm (not hot) baths are of 
great importance in reducing the high pressure. 
The electric light bath used in moderation ren- 
ders most valuable service. Massage of the 
whole body and thorough friction of the skin 
should be applied daily. In many cases these 
simple measures bring down the blood-pressure 
thirty or forty points, sometimes even more. Ar- 
teriosclerosis is naturally a progressive disease, 
hence must be fought with great thoroughness 
and persistency. A person who finds himself a 
victim of the malady must prepare himself for 
a life-long struggle with the disease as the only 
condition on which he can hope to extend his 
life for any considerable period. The final re- 
sult of arteriosclerosis is apoplexy, Bright's dis- 
ease, heart disease, or a combination of the three 
maladies, or the so-called cardio-vascular-renal 
disease. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 239 

When the disease is localized in the kidneys, 
a form of Bright's disease develops. In the liver 
the result is cirrhosis. In the brain apoplexy 
occurs through rupture of the degenerated ar- 
teries. In the early stage of the disease the 
blood-pressure rises slightly above normal, but 
when the number of blood vessels affected is so 
great that the area for the circulation of the 
blood is materially diminished, the blood-pres- 
sure is raised as a compensatory measure so 
that a proper amount of blood may be distri- 
buted to the various bodily organs. As a matter 
of fact, the blood-pressure is never any higher 
than it needs to be to secure the proper blood 
supply for each bodily organ. 

Early Signs of Arteriosclerosis 

Q. What is the first indication of hardening 
of the arteries? 

A. Usually one of the first indications is the 
rise of blood pressure. Rise of blood pressure, 
however, is not in itself a proof positive of 
hardening of the arteries. Sometimes, also, the 
disease is far advanced before rise of blood 
pressure occurs. In very advanced cases, the 
blood pressure falls because of weakening of the 
heart. 



240 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Cause of Arteriosclerosis 

Q. What causes arteriosclerosis in persons 
who never used tobacco, alcoholic drinks or 
much meat? 

A. Inactivity of the bowels, tea, coffee and 
constipation are causes. Constipation doubtless 
is the most important of all causes. The use of 
tea and coffee is harmful as well as the use of 
tobacco. 

Lead from lead pipes will produce hardening 
of the arteries. Typhoid fever and other in- 
fectious diseases are common causes. 

Increase of Heart Disease 

Q. Are diseases of the heart and blood ves- 
sels increasing? 

A. The cause of the increase of these two 
highly fatal diseases is very likely to be found 
in the steady increase in the use of tobacco and 
alcohol. 

Within the last ten years the mortality from 
heart disease has increased over 50 per cent, the 
mortality from arteriosclerosis has increased from 
6.1 per hundred thousand in 1900, to 21 in 1911, 
an increase of nearly 250 per cent. According 
to the Census report, nearly four times as many 
people die from disease of the blood vessels to- 
day as thirty years ago. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 241 

Tea and coffee contain caffein, a pressure- 
raising drug. A cup of coffee contains four 
grains of caffein, or two medicinal doses. Coca- 
cola contains as much caffein as coffee. 

Organic Heart Disease 

Q. Can leakage of the heart be cured in 
the case of a man of forty years? 

A. Organic disease of the heart can not be 
cured, but much can be done to aid the patient 
to tolerate the disease so that serious symptoms 
may be postponed for many years. 

Very hot baths must be avoided in cases of 
heart disease and cold applications must be 
made with great care. 

Cause of Heart Disease 

Q. What is the cause of heart disease? 

A. The most common causes of heart failure 
are the presence of poisons in the blood and de- 
generation of the arteries. Nicotin, alcohol, tea 
and coffee, the free use of flesh foods, and con- 
stipation are among the most common direct and 
indirect causes of heart failure. 



242 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Heart Failure 

Q. What are the symptoms of heart failure? 

A. There are various symptoms by which the 
failure of the heart to do its duty is indicated. 
One of the most common is shortness of the 
breath. It is one of the duties of the heart to 
pump the blood through the lungs for purifi- 
cation. When the heart is not able to pass the 
blood through the lungs rapidly enough to keep 
the blood free from carbon dioxide, this poison 
accumulates in the blood and shortness of breath 
is the result. 

Another common symptom is swelling of the 
feet. Swelling of the feet is generally an in- 
dication either that the heart is weak or that 
the kidneys are diseased. Both conditions may 
exist at the same time. 

Still another indication of weakness of the 
heart is blueness of the lips. This symptom in- 
dicates that the blood is not being circulated fast 
enough to keep it free from carbon dioxide. That 
is, the blood in the arteries instead of being of 
the natural scarlet color differs little from that 
of the veins because of the lack of oxygen. 

Still another and a very important indication 
of heart failure is increase in the pulse rate. 
When there is found to be a progressive in- 
crease from day to day in the rate of the heart 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 243 

beat, the significance is that the heart is becom- 
ing progressively weaker and weaker. Suppose 
for example, the rate of the pulse today is 75, 
tomorrow 78, next day 80, the following day 
85, a day or two later 90, some days later 110, 
at the end of two or three weeks, 130 or 140. The 
indication is very certain that the patient is suf- 
fering from progressive and increasing weak- 
ness of the heart which will finally result in heart 
failure. An intelligent nurse or a wise physician 
will, of course, note the significance of this 
symptom and will take measures to arrest the 
progress of the disease which is causing the 
heart weakness. 

One of the most efficient means of strengthen- 
ing the heart is the cold compress over the heart 
or even an ice bag. If an ice bag is used it should 
be protected with one thickness of flannel to avoid 
excessive chilling of the skin. The cold appli- 
cation should be removed at least once in twenty 
minutes. It may be reapplied after an interval 
of five minutes. The purpose is to give the skin 
a chance to react. Reaction may be encouraged 
by rubbing the skin with the hand so as to re- 
store the warmth of the part. By this means the 
nerves are kept active and so the reflex effect 
through which the good result is produced may 
be maintained for an indefinite time. Short 
cold rubbing baths, deep breathing and massage 



244 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

are other means of aiding the weakened heart 
and combating heart failure. 

Ordinary fainting is a condition of heart fail- 
ure. This condition is most successfully com- 
bated by the application of cold over the front 
of the chest. Percussion over the heart is also 
beneficial. Application of cold to the face, in 
fact to any part of the body, is also helpful. To 
produce the strongest effects, a cold application 
may be made to the whole surface of the body. 

Blue Lips 

Q. What causes blueness of the lips in heart 
disease, especially on exercise? 

A. The effect of exercise upon a person suf- 
fering from heart disease is quite different from 
that of a person in health. In health the amount 
of carbon dioxide in the body is greatly de- 
creased by exercise whereas in the case of per- 
sons suffering from disease of the heart the 
amount of carbon dioxide may be increased to 
nearly fifty per cent above the normal. It is this 
accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood 
which produces the shortness of breath and the 
blueness of the lips which are characteristic of 
this condition. In persons suffering from dis- 
ease of the heart in an advanced stage, the blood 
is constantly over loaded with carbon dioxide. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 245 

Athletic Heart 

Q. Is it possible for a person to be a long 
distance runner without getting "athletic 
heart ?" 

A. Yes. One of the greatest athletic events 
in 1916 was a run of one hundred miles, made 
between Milwaukee and Chicago by Syndey 
Hatch. 

The former record for this run was eighteen 
hours, but was lowered by Hatch to fourteen 
hours. Every foot of the journey was run, and 
the only stops made were four, aggregating one- 
half hour. 

This run is remarkable, not only because of 
the time that was made, but also because Mr. 
Hatch made it at an age that is supposed to be 
beyond the period of active athletics — thirty-four 
years. 

Still, one need not be surprised when he learns 
of the method of living followed by Mr. Hatch. 
He abstains absolutely from alcoholic liquors of 
all kinds, as also from tobacco. More than this, 
although he has made more runs than any other 
two athletes in this country, he has not developed 
what is known as an "athletic heart." Clean liv- 
ing and adherence to clean ideals have preserved 
his heart intact. 



246 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Work of the Heart 

Q. Has any estimate been made of the work 
that is done by the heart in circulating the 
blood? 

A. Yes. The work of the heart of an ordi- 
nary man in twenty- four hours is equal to many 
tons. 

It has been estimated that the heart at each 
beat does work equal to lifting one pound one 
foot high. The amount of energy consumed is 
1/1000 of a calory. The work of the heart mus- 
cle is about one-tenth of the work done by the 
entire body. 

The rate at which the heart works varies with 
many conditions. On counting the pulse at the 
wrist, the ordinary rate in an adult, sitting up- 
right, is found to be 68. In the same person 
lying down the pulse rate will be found to be 64 
beats, and in the standing position the rate would 
be increased to 78. Walking at a moderate rate 
usually raises the pulse to about 100, while by 
running and other violent muscular efforts, it 
may he increased to 180 or even more. The 
pulse rate of an infant is about 130 to 140; that 
of a child of ten years, 90. In aged persons the 
pulse is likewise found to be five to ten beats 
faster than in middle age. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 247 

Shivering 

Q. What is the cause of shivering? 

A. Shivering occurs when the temperature 
of the blood has been reduced a few tenths of 
a degree. 

Muscular action is always attended by the 
production of heat as a by-product. When the 
temperature of the blood is lowered, shivering, 
an involuntary action of the muscles, takes place 
as a defensive effort having for its purpose the 
production of heat. Shivering is thus a remedial 
process and may be even encouraged with ad- 
vantage. An eminent English traveler who ex- 
plored the Arctic regions, in giving an account 
of his experiences mentioned that on a certain 
occasion he and his companions having become 
greatly chilled by exposure sat down upon a block 
of ice and shivered themselves warm. 

Hemorrhage 

Q. By what means may hemorrhage be 
controlled? 

A. The principal means to be employed for 
arresting hemorrhage are pressure, ice or cold 
water, hot water, and the ligature. The means 
to be employed differ somewhat according to 
the part in which the hemorrhage occurs. As a 
general rule, the bleeding part should be ele- 



248 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

vated, and pressure applied at the point of in- 
jury. Very hot or very cold applications should 
be made. Pressure acts by closing the blood 
vessels and allowing the blood to coagulate. Cold 
at first causes the blood vessels to contract; 
but if applied continuously for a long time, the 
blood vessels are paralyzed and become relaxed. 
In using the ligature, apply it either above or be- 
low the injury if it occurs in a limb, according, 
as the bleeding comes from an artery or a vein. 
If an artery is wounded, the blood will flow in 
jets; if a vein is injured, the blood will be dark 
in color and will flow in a steady stream. If the 
vessel is an artery, the ligature or pressure 
should be applied between the wound and the 
heart; if a vein, it should be applied on the op- 
posite side. A slight hemorrhage from a 
wound may generally be very easily controlled 
by pressure upon the injured part with the fin- 
gers or a compress of folded muslin. 

Bleeding from the nose may generally be 
checked by holding the head erect, snuffing cold 
water up the nostrils and holding the arms as 
high as possible. 

Hemorrhage from the stomach, indicated by 
vomiting of blood, requires perfect rest, the ap- 
plication of ice over the stomach, and swallow- 
ing small bits of ice in rapid succession. 
Hemorrhage from the lungs requires heat at 
the extremities; restraint from coughing; the 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 249 

application of cold to the chest, ice pills, and 
the inhalation of an atomized solution of tan- 
nin, or the vapor of turpentine. 

Hemorrhage from the bowels generally re- 
sults from hemorrhoids. Cold water should be 
injected into the rectum, and the patient should 
be kept quiet in a horizontal position. 

Bleeding from a rupture of varicose veins in 
the lower limbs is sometimes very severe. It 
may be relieved by a tight ligature both above 
and below the point of rupture. 



Obesity 

Degrees of Obesity 

Q. When may a person be regarded as 
obese? 

A. There are, of course, degrees of obesity. 
A person whose weight is ten or fifteen per cent 
greater than that of the average person of his 
height may be said to be over- fat. When the 
excess of fat amounts to twenty-five per cent 
of the normal weight of the individual he may 
be said to be obese. Cases are sometimes met in 
which the fat accumulation is so great that" 
the person's weight has become more than 
double the normal. Such a person is danger- 
ously obese. 

Any person whose weight is fifteen or twenty 
pounds more than the normal weight for his 
height should take measures to reduce his 
weight. 

The following table which is based upon act- 
ual statistics gathered by large life insurance 
companies shows the proper weight for individ- 
uals of different heights: 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 251 



MEN 


WOMEN 


Height 


Weight 


Height 


Weight 


in Inches 


in Pounds 


in Inches 


in' Pounds 


61 


131 


59 


119 


62 


133 


60 


122 


63 


136 


61 


124 


64 


140 


62 


127 


65 


143 


63 


131 


66 


147 


64 


134 


67 


152 


65 


139 


68 


157 


66 


143 


69 


162 


67 


147 


70 


167 


68 


151 


71 


173 


69 


155 


72 


179 


70 


159 


73 


185 






74 


192 






75 


200 







The Cause of Obesity 

What is the cause of obesity? 

There are several causes. 



Q. 

A. 

The most common cause is over eating 



or 



eating an excess of fats. An excessive intake 
of starchy foods also tends to produce an exces- 
sive accumulation of flesh. The same is true 
of sugar. Candy eating is undoubtedly a fre- 
quent cause of excessive fat accumulation. 
Food is fuel ; fat is unused fuel. 



252 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

About one-fourth of the food we eat is con- 
sumed in muscle work, the remaining three- 
fourths is mostly used in maintaining the heat of 
the body. It is evident then, that the amount of 
food consumed should be regulated by the 
temperature and amount of work done. A per- 
son lying quietly in a warm bed requires less 
than half the amount of food which is needed 
by a person exposed to cold and engaged in 
active exercise. A man working very hard out 
doors in very cold weather might in fact utilize 
fully three times as much food as a person ly- 
ing still in bed or sitting quietly in a warm 
room. It is evident then, that the amount of in- 
take should be carefully regulated to the out- 
put in heat and work. Obese people are gen- 
erally persons who have a good appetite and 
good digestion and on this account are likely 
to eat more than the body requires to maintain 
the normal body temperature of one hundred 
degrees and the necessary output of energy. 
When a person finds himself gaining in weight 
this fact is usually evidence that his intake of 
food fuel is greater than the consumption. This 
excess of intake will be deposited as reserve 
tissue or fat. It should be borne in mind also 
that it is not so much the quantity of food 
eaten, but the character of the food. One may 
for example, eat very liberally of such food- 
stuffs as juicy fruits, lettuce, celery, turnips, 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 253 

greens and other fresh vegetables without ac- 
cumulating flesh. Indeed, on such a diet one 
may easily loose flesh, whereas if one eats freely 
of such concentrated foodstuffs as bread, cer- 
eals, sugar and fats one may easily eat an ex- 
cess even though the quantity eaten has not been 
at any time sufficient to produce a sensation of 
fullness in the stomach. It is for this reason 
that starchy foods and fats are said to be fat- 
tening, whereas it would be quite impossible for 
a person to become over-fat on a diet of fruits 
and vegetables, the Irish potato and sweet po- 
tato being excepted. 

In recent years another form of obesity has 
been recognized which can scarcely be said to be 
due to over eating. This form of the disease 
has been shown to be due to a disturbance of 
the internal secretions. Persons who suffer 
from this form of obesity are often pale. They 
may be small eaters. The difficulty appears to 
be that the food is not utilized; that is, the food 
fuel is not burned as efficiently as it should be. 
The individual is like a furnace that has insuf- 
ficient draft. The fuel not being properly burned 
accumulates and the furnace is choked. 



254 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Is Obesity Curable 

Q. Is obesity curable? If so, by what 
means? 

A. Practically all cases of obesity are cur- 
able if proper means are adopted. It must be 
understood, however, by a cure is not meant 
complete restoration to a normal condition. 
This is by no means always possible; in fact, 
in cases of extreme obesity it is not safe even 
if it were possible to reduce the patient's 
weight to his original standard. If, for ex- 
ample, a person whose normal weight is 175 
pounds has acquired a weight of 350 pounds he 
should be content to reduce his weight to 225 or 
250 pounds. A reduction of weight of 150 or 
175 pounds could scarcely be accomplished in 
such a case without doing the individual serious 
damage. A great accumulation of fat in the 
abdomen stretches the abdominal muscles so 
that when this condition has existed for a con- 
siderable length of time the removal of the fat 
will leave the abdominal muscles in such a re- 
laxed condition that they will not afford proper 
support to the viscera. The fat which has been 
present in excess has been deposited all about 
the various internal organs, in some instances 
in masses an inch or more in thickness. When 
this padding is absorbed, a relaxed condition is 
developed which often gives rise to pain and 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 255 

miseries of various sorts, such as those which 
attend the condition known as floating kidney 
for example. The treatment of obesity is simple 
in appearance, but not always easy in execution. 
The average obese patient is over-fat because he 
has eaten too much food and taken too little ex- 
ercise, so the essential features of treatment 
are, first, a diminution of the amount of food, 
second, an increase of the amount of exercise. A 
decrease in food intake is by far the most im- 
portant of all measures which can be adopted 
in the treatment of this disease. As obese pa- 
tients generally have excellent appetites the re- 
duction of food intake is often a matter of 
much distress and inconvenience especially if the 
dietary is unwisely managed. It is by no means 
necessary that the patient should fast or even 
that the amount eaten should be diminished. 
It is best that the full volume of food 
should be maintained or even that the food 
should be increased in volume, but instead of 
such concentrated foodstuffs as bread, potatoes, 
sugar and fats of various sorts the patient 
should restrict his dietary to fruits and vege- 
tables with the exception of the potato. In 
many instances this is all the restriction required. 
The patient should abstain from the use of fat 
meats, butter, and other fats, cream and milk 
with the exception of skimmed milk, bread and 
other cereals and potatoes. Lettuce, celery, 



256 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

greens of all sorts, fresh vegetables and juicy 
fruits may be eaten freely. In this way the 
appetite is satisfied even though the actual 
amount of nutriment may be very greatly di- 
minished. In general, it is necessary that the 
obese patient should diminish the amount of 
actual food substance eaten to one-half the 
amount he has been accustomed to take or two- 
thirds of the normal ration for a person of his 
height. 

Obesity Dangers 

Q. What are the dangers from obesity? 

A. Plump people are only one-fourth as 
likely to suffer from tuberculosis as a person of 
average weight, while lean people are six times 
as likely to suffer from this disease as those 
who are overweight. Dr. Symmonds has clearly 
shown that leanness predisposes to tuberculosis 
or at least to fatal tuberculosis, while lean per- 
sons are only half as likely to suffer from dia- 
betes as persons of average weight. 

Lean persons, on the other hand, are twice 
as likely to die from pneumonia as persons who 
are overweight. Fleshy persons seem to be in 
some way immune against the germ of pneu- 
monia, while lean persons are especially suscep- 
tible. Overweights suffer twice as often from 
Bright's disease, both acute and" chronic, as do 
persons of normal weight. This is probably due 
to the excessive feeding to which overweights 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 257 

are likely to be habituated. Obese persons suf- 
fer from cirrhosis of the liver three and one- 
half times as often as persons of normal weight. 
Doctor Rogers, the chief medical director of 
a great New York life insurance company has 
shown by extended and careful study of the data 
furnished by the experience of this great insur- 
ance company, that persons who are even ten 
per cent above the normal weight have a consid- 
erably higher mortality than those who are ten 
per cent below the normal weight. It appears 
then, that it is much safer to be thin than over- 
fat. An abundance of flesh is generally looked 
upon as an evidence of health and vigor, but 
this popular notion is evidently an error. Over- 
fatness is a diseased condition. An accumula- 
tion of flesh becomes a handicap to the body 
even when the amount is comparatively small. 
A large accumulation of fat is highly burden- 
some because it imposes upon the body the task 
of carrying around a dead weight. If, for ex- 
ample, a person's weight is double what it 
should be such an individual is like a man who 
is carrying constantly upon his shoulders an- 
other man whose weight is equal to his own ; 
wherever he goes he must carry his burden with 
him. He cannot lay it down even for a moment. 
When sitting still little inconvenience may be ex- 
perienced, but as soon as active exercise begins 
the handicap makes itself felt. When the fat 



258 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

man attempts to run or is required to climb a 
hill or flight of stairs he is quickly out of 
breath, partly for the reason that he is required 
to do perhaps double the amount of work which 
a person of normal weight would do under the 
same circumstances; in other words, with one 
man's muscles he is carrying the weight of two 
men. There is another reason why the over- 
fat man is short of breath. The fat accumulation 
is not upon the surface alone, it is within the 
body as well. In some cases the chief part of 
the accumulation is within the cavities of the 
body. The heart and lungs are enclosed within 
a bony cage. In the fat man the accumulation 
of fat in the chest lessens the room for the heart 
and lungs. The natural result is shortness of 
breath such as would occur if one had lost the 
use of one lung or part of a lung from pneu- 
monia, pleurisy or other cause, or if 
the action of the lungs were restricted by 
tight lacing. An accumulation of fat about the 
heart acts as a burden and lessens its efficiency. 
An accumulation of fat in the abdomen is also 
a source of shortness of breath by interfering 
with the descent of the diaphragm in inhalation. 
An excessive accumulation of fat in the ab- 
domen may be readily detected by a very simple 
means. The patient puts himself in a horizontal 
position with the clothing of the trunk loosened 
so that the abdominal fat may be grasped be- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 259 

tween the hands. If now the head or legs are 
raised so as to strongly contract the abdominal 
muscles it may be observed that the fat grasped 
between the hands disappears. When this occurs 
it is because the fat is inside of the abdomen. 
If the skin is pinched up while the legs are 
raised and muscles tense it will be found to be 
not much thicker than normal. In other words 
there is no large accumulation of fat beneath 
the skin. If the deposit of fat is on the out- 
side, however, the mass gathered between the 
hands will not disappear when the legs are 
raised since the fat accumulation is outside of 
the abdominal muscles instead of beneath them. 
In very chronic cases of obesity fatty de- 
generation occurs. The fat has not only ac- 
cumulated upon and between the various or- 
gans of the body, but the organs themselves be- 
come changed to fat, that is, the heart muscle is 
not only overloaded with fat, but the muscle it- 
self undergoes a fatty change so that the heart 
becomes weaker and weaker and finally becomes 
unable to do its work. Fatty degeneration of 
other muscle structures and of the liver and 
other glands is also common in these cases. 
Over-fatness should always be regarded as a 
serious disease, and persons who find themselves 
inclined to take on fat should combat it early 
instead of waiting until they become monstrous 
masses of adipose tissue, since it is much easier 



260 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

to prevent the development of this disease than 
to cure it; in fact when a person has been long 
the subject of excessive fat accumulation cer- 
tain changes occur in the body which are more 
or less irremediable. It is far better to avoid 
becoming over-fat than to rely upon taking an 
obesity cure for it when one has accumulated 
an unusable surplus. 

How to Reduce a Fat Abdomen 

Q. What will reduce a fat abdomen? 

A. Sawing wood. This is a capital exercise, 
something that will make the abdominal mus- 
cles work. Or one may lie on the back and 
raise the legs to vertical 150 times a day. 
The next best thing is to lie on the back and 
raise the head far enough to see the feet for a 
considerable number of times daily. This will 
contract the abdominal muscles and make them 
work. This part of the body gets fat because 
the muscles are so little used. Work uses up fat 
as fuel. Fat accumulates where there is deficient 
activity ; so the main thing to do is to make that 
part of the body work. Swimming is a good ex- 
ercise for the purpose. 

Automatic exercise, that is, exercise produced 
by rhythmical electrical stimulation of the mus- 
cles, is a most efficient means of reducing either 
general or local obesity. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 261 

Buttermilk Cure for Obesity 

Q. What is the buttermilk and potato cure 
for obesity? 

A. In the so-called "buttermilk and potato 
cure" for obesity, the patient is allowed to eat 
nothing at all but buttermilk and potatoes. A 
full ration of these two articles would require a 
person to eat two quarts of buttermilk and 
seven pounds of potatoes. The bulk of this diet 
is so great that the patient finds it quite im- 
possible to eat the whole of it. Consequently 
he is able to satisfy his appetite completely while 
at the same time the amount of food he takes 
is less than his body requires, and the result is 
he loses in weight. 

This diet has a further advantage in that it 
contains very little fat. The sense to satiety de- 
pends more upon the bulk of the food than the 
quality of it. 

Fasting to Relieve Obesity 

Q. In fasting for relief of obesity, how 
much may the diet be reduced? 

A. In an attempt to get rid of surplus flesh 
by reducing the intake of food, it is highly im- 
portant to avoid robbing the body of its store 
of protein as this must result in wasting of the 
muscles, weakening the heart, depreciating the 



262 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

blood and generally injuring the vital machin- 
ery. Carefully conducted experiments by Mag- 
nus-Levy, Bernstein, and others, have shown 
that if the dietary is not reduced much below 
two-thirds of the actual requirement, that is, 
not more than one-third below the energy out- 
put, the protein of the tissues will not be at- 
tacked while the fat will be progressively con- 
sumed. It is especially important also to note 
in arranging the dietary for a fat patient that 
the protein may be protected by making the diet 
consist almost exclusively of carbohydrates. 
That is, fats should be almost withdrawn from 
the diet. The protein intake may be kept at the, 
minimum, but the carbohydrates should constitute 
the greater part of the ration. 

The "Fruit Regimen" for Obesity 

Q. Is the "Fruit Regimen" good for obes- 
ity? 

A. There is no method superior to the fruit 
and bran regimen. This plan is very simple. 
The diet is made to consist exclusively of juicy 
fruits, bran, celery, lettuce, cucumbers, etc. The 
food should be taken four times a day or at 
intervals of about four hours. Convenient 
hours are seven a. m., eleven a. m., three p. m. 
and seven p. m. At each meal two or three 
heaping dessert spoonfuls of sterilized bran 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 263 

should be eaten. A very convenient way to take 
the bran is with stewed tomatoes or apple sauce, 
or it may be made into a porridge with tomatoes 
or fruit of some sort thickened with a small 
spoonful of flour or meal. Salt should be 
avoided altogether or taken only in a very min- 
ute quantity. This is quite important if a rapid 
reduction of weight is desired. One or two 
paraffin tablets or an ounce of paraffin oil should 
be taken at each meal. The purpose of this 
regimen is to secure very pronounced activity of 
the bowels which greatly aids in the reduction 
of flesh. After a week or two the number of 
bran and fruit meals may be reduced to three 
and the amount of nutriment may be increased 
1)V the addition of other vegetables, one or two 
small potatoes, a small slice of bread and but- 
ter at each meal, preferably in the form of 
zweiback and small portions of scalded oat- 
meal. 

Care should be taken to avoid making 
the regimen so severe as to produce a sense 
of weakness and exhaustion. Two or three 
quarts of water should be taken daily. Free 
water drinking helps to rid the body of tissue 
wastes. 

In cases in which the tongue is coated as the 
result of intestinal toxemia, the "fruit regimen" 
not only reduces the weight but also changes the 
intestinal and alkalinizes the blood and tissue 
fluids. Constipation and intestinal toxemia with 



264 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

head ache or rheumatism as natural consequences 
is frequent in obesity, the "fruit" affords a 
highly useful means of dealing with disease. 

Obesity Pills, Anti-Fat Remedies 

Q. Is it safe to make use of the much ad- 
vertised anti-fat remedies for reducing the 
weight? 

A. Certainly not. 

Many of these so-called obesity remedies are 
dangerous. Such nostrums do harm by caus- 
ing delay in the application of efficient remedies. 
And besides, not a few of these obesity remedies 
contain active and highly dangerous drugs. One 
of the products most frequently employed is the 
dried thyroid of the sheep. This remedy may 
be of some value in rare cases in 
which there is a deficiency of the se- 
cretion of the thyroid gland, but even in these 
cases it must be used with the greatest care as 
an over-dose is likely to produce serious dis- 
turbances of the heart and various nervous dis- 
turbances of more or less serious character. In 
by far the great majority of cases of obesity 
there is no deficiency of the thyroid secretion 
and administration of thyroid is followed within 
a few days by quickening of the pulse and the 
appearance of various unpleasant and more or 
less serious nervous disturbances and sooner or 
later grave conditions may be developed. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 265 

Thousands of persons have been damaged by the 
use of these meretricious nostrums. The only 
safe thing is to avoid them altogether. One who 
suffers from obesity should place himself under 
the care of an intelligent physician and care- 
fully follow his instructions. Diet and exercise 
are sovereign remedies for this condition. 

Massage not an Efficient Remedy for 
Obesity 

Q. Can excessive fat be removed by means 
of massage? 

A. No. Massage is purely mechanical in ite 
effects. It does not increase to any considerable 
extent the bodily activities by means of which 
alone fat can be consumed. Careful experi- 
ments made by Zuntz, an eminent German in- 
vestigator, and others showed that massage does 
not increase metabolism and hence cannot be 
relied upon as a means of reducing fat. Many 
persons have wasted an enormous amount of 
time and money in an attempt to reduce their 
weight by treatment at the hands of manipula-** 
tors who claim to be able to accomplish a cure, 
by massage and various special manipulations, 
but do not make good their claims. Work is 
necessary for the reduction of fat, and work by 
the patient himself, no matter how distasteful. 
The obese patient must make up his mind that 
he must work out his own salvation. 



Bowel Disorders 

Bowel Rhythm 

Q. How often should the bowels move? 

A. The normal rhythm of the bowel move- 
ment requires an evacuation after each meal. 
This is the rule with animals, infants, and primi- 
tive people. One a day or once in a while is 
the rule with most civilized people. If the bowels 
can be induced to move two or three times daily 
by natural means great advantage will be gained, 
as less opportunity will be given for the for- 
mation and absorption of intestinal poisons. 

How to Avoid Laxatives 

Q. How can one secure three movements 
of the bowels daily? 

A. In most cases the bowels may be made to 
move three times a day regularly by observing 
the following rules : 

1. Give the bowels an opportunity to move 
after each meal. 

2. Observe regularity of meals. 

3. Make each meal consist of bulky vegetable 
foods, that is, foods containing a considerable 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 267 

amount of cellulose. Fresh vegetables, both raw 
and cooked, should constitute a part of every 
meal. In fact, they should constitute the great 
bulk of the food. 

4. In most cases it is necessary to increase 
the bulk of the food by the addition of bran 
or agar-agar. 

5. In a large proportion of cases it is necessary 
to make use of paraffin oil in some form, to 
lubricate the alimentary canal. 

6. At first it may be necessary to use a small 
cool enema at 80° to 70° F. once a day to re- 
store the normal sensibility and tone of the 
bowels. 

Intestinal Gas 

Q. I am troubled with gas some hours after 
eating. Do . you recommend buttermilk pre- 
pared from cultures of the Bacillus Bulgaricus 
for this condition? 

A. The usual cause of an excess of in- 
testinal gases is the retention of fecal matters 
for an excessive length of time. The most 
troublesome form of intestinal flatulence is the 
result of incompetency of the ileocecal valve. If 
the bowels are made to move three or four times 
a day this symptom will disappear. 



268 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Soreness in the Side 

Q. What is the cause of soreness in the 
right side of the body near the stomach? 

A. The symptom may be due to any of sev- 
eral things. Pain near the stomach under the 
right rib may be due to ulcer of the stomach, 
ulcer of the duodenum, disease of the pancreas, 
disease of the gall-bladder, gallstones, or other 
less common affections. 

It is entirely possible that the soreness may be 
due to a diseased kidney ; or the appendix or the 
colon may be diseased. There are many other 
possibilities. You should be examined by a thor- 
oughly competent surgeon as soon as possible. 
An x-ray examination after a bismuth meal 
would doubtless throw great light on your case. 

Bowel Trouble in Summer 

Q. Why are bowel troubles so frequent 
in summer time? 

A. "Bowel troubles" are the prevalent dis- 
orders of summer, and the mortality lists are 
lengthened by fatalities due to this class of 
maladies. Old and young suffer, but infants 
most. 

Recent experiments and observations by 
European physicians show that the chief cause 
of these maladies is to be found in the increase 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 269 

during the warm months of the particular class 
of germs which give rise to putrefaction. 

Milk, meat, and bad water are the chief 
sources of infection. Milk may be boiled, and 
meat should be discarded, better forever, but 
certainly during the hot months, when it is al- 
ways swarming with tiie germs which cause de- 
cay. Water should be boiled unless known to 
be pure. Water from dug wells or from lakes, 
streams and any sources except springs or 
artesian wells, is certain to contain harmful 
germs, parasites, and various impurities. Such 
water is always unfit for use without boiling. 

A precaution which will almost certainly pre- 
vent these summer bowel troubles is the careful 
disinfection of fruits and all other fresh foods, 
such as lettuce, celery, radishes and cabbage. 
These foods are often soiled with sewage or soil 
used as fertilizer and hence are highly infected. 
They often introduce animal parasites into the 
intestine. It is easy to render these foods entirely 
wholesome as follows : Wash thoroughly in clean 
water then soak for five minutes in a solution of 
peroxide of hydrogen one part to twenty of 
water. After soaking in the peroxide solution 
rinse well. Fresh vegetables from the market 
should never be eaten without this preparation. 
Of course vegetables grown in one's own garden 
may be known to be safe. 



270 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Fruit, fruit juice, cereals, and fresh vegetables 
should be the chief dietary during the summer 
months. Keep the bowels moving freely by 
a laxative diet, and keep the general health up 
by free water drinking, the daily cold bath, 
and the out-of-door life. This advice can not be 
too often reiterated. 

Hemorrhage of the Bowels 

Q. Is there any connection between 
hemorrhage and constipation? 

A. Hemorrhage from the bowels is most fre- 
quently due to hemorrhoids, in which case con- 
stipation may be the direct cause of the hemor- 
rhage. Hemorrhage also sometimes results from 
ulcer, due to colitis. Ulcer of the stomach or of 
the duodenum not infrequently gives rise to 
bloody stools. 

Pain in the Bowels 

Q. Can pain in the bowels be relieved by 
heat applications? 

A. Fomentations are very useful when the 
pain in the bowels or abdominal region is due to 
local inflammation of some sort, as peritonitis, 
inflammation of the small or large intestine, or 
other abdominal or pelvic viscera. The appli- 
cations should not be continued more than 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 271 

fifteen or twenty minutes, when a cool compress 
should be applied for an hour or two, after which 
the fomentation may be again renewed. 

The Bismuth Meal 

Q. What is the bismuth meal and what in- 
formation is obtained by it? 

A. The bismuth meal consists of a small 
quantity of food to which bismuth or some 
similiar substance has been added. After the 
food is swallowed, observations are made by 
the x-ray and the time is noted when the stom- 
ach is emptied, also when the bismuth meal ap- 
pears at different points along the alimentary 
canal. By the careful study of normal persons, 
the time required for the movement of the food 
mass from one part of the alimentary canal to 
another has been definitely determined ; also the 
length of time which it is normally retained in 
the stomach, the cecum and other parts of the 
intestine. In certain forms of disease, the move- 
ment of the food along the canal is accelerated, 
but more often it is delayed in some parts, espe- 
cially in the stomach and the colon. 

By means of x-ray examinations of the stom- 
ach, it is now possible to determine the exact 
shape, size and location of this organ and to 
actually follow its activities with the eye, thus 
making clear many conditions which were form- 



272 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

erly highly problematical. It is also possible to 
determine the location of ulcers, cancers or other 
growths, "kinks," adhesions, and various mal- 
formations. 

Rectal Dilators 

Q. Will the use of rectal dilators cure 
piles, fistula, and especially a contracted condi- 
tion of the sphincter ani, as claimed by various 
specialists? 

A. If you are suffering from any of the 
difficulties named, by all means consult a re- 
liable surgeon. Do not waste time in the use 
of dilators or any other mechanical means. It 
is true that some persons have apparently been 
relieved of trifling rectal ailments by the use 
of dilators, but even in these cases it is quite 
possible that suggestion may have played an im- 
portant part. 

Dilatation of the Colon 

Q. What is the most common cause of 
dilatation of the colon? 

A. Sedentary habits, causing weakening or 
relaxation of the abdominal muscles; a relaxed, 
forward stooping position in sitting; overeating; 
neglect to attend to the calls of Nature for empty- 
ing the bowels ; a constipating diet, especially the 
use of fine-flour bread and concentrated foods. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 273 

Indigestion — Causes 

Q. What are the causes of indigestion? 

A. The principal causes of indigestion are 
the following: 

1. Insufficient mastication of food. 

2. Unwholesome foods. 

3. A deficient secretion of gastric juice and 
other digestive fluids caused by condiments. 

4. A deficiency of muscular activity of the 
stomach or intestine caused by too long retention 
of foodstuffs. The stomach should be empty 
in four or four and one-half hours after the 
taking of food and the small intestine at the 
end of eight or nine hours. 

5. The slow absorption of liquids and digested 
foodstuffs from the intestine. 

6. Infection of the alimentary canal with the 
so-called "wild" bacteria. 

Serious disturbances of digestion are much 
more frequently due to a deficiency of muscular 
activity of the stomach or intestine, or so-called 
disorders of motility, than to disturbances of the 
secreting functions of the digestive glands; but 
gastric acid is necessary for the digestion of 
proteins. The acid of the gastric juice also 
stimulates the secretion of pepsin and activates 
pepsin, or enables it to digest protein. Hy- 



274 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

drochloric acid acts as an antiseptic in the stom- 
ach, preventing the growth and development of 
bacteria. In the duodenum, hydrochloric acid 
causes the formation of secretin which stim- 
ulates the action of the pancreas and the liver. 
It is thus apparent that when hydrochloric acid 
is absent, several important functions of the 
stomach and intestine are seriously interfered 
with. 

Mucous Stools 

Q. What is the cause of long, jelly-like 
and ropy strings found in the stools? 

7 A. The symptoms described are characteristic 
of colitis, catarrh or infection of the colon. 

Function of Small Intestine 

Q. Of what use is the small intestine in 
digestion? 

A. The small intestine is the chief organ of 
digestion and practically the sole organ of ab- 
sorption of the products of digestion. 

Normally three-fourths of the work of di- 
gestion is accomplished in the small intestine, 
and this organ is alone capable of maintaining 
the entire function of digestion. 

The three important agencies of digestion in 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 275 

the intestine are the pancreatic juice, bile, and 
the intestinal juice. 

The pancreatic juice and the intestinal juice 
each furnishes a complete set of ferments. In 
other words, they are ''duplicate plants." 

Puffiness Under the Eyes 

Q. What is the cause of puffiness under 
the eyes? 

A. The most common cause is intestinal 
autointoxication. This is also a symptom of 
failing Heart and diseased kidneys. It is possible 
one suffering thus may have arteriosclerosis and 
weak heart resulting. He should submit him- 
self to a competent physician for a careful ex- 
amination. 

Brown Circles about the Eyes 

Q. What causes brown circles about the 
eyes? Please suggest treatment? 

A. The most common cause of the symptom 
mentioned is intestinal autointoxication. Brown 
coloring matters of a poisonous character are 
formed by the decomposition of animal proteins 
in the colon. These are absorbed and deposited 
in the skin. This is the cause of pigmentation 
of the skin, either about the eyes or in other 



276 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

places. Such persons are often neurasthenic. 
The most important thing for them to do is to 
discard the use of flesh foods; that is, adopt an 
antitoxic diet, live outdoors. Keep the bowels 
active; they should move at least two or three 
times a day. The cold water bath daily, the cold 
air bath, the sun bath and all hygienic means are 
indicated. 

Gas in Stomach and Intestines 

Q. What is the best remedy for gas in the 
stomach and intestines? 

A. Gas in the intestines practically always 
means stasis; that is, material left behind which 
should have been evacuated. Relief is obtained 
when the colon is emptied. Flatulence of the 
stomach is usually the result of air-swallowing. 
It is very difficult to convince persons who have 
the habit of swallowing air that they are ad- 
dicted to such a habit. Nevertheless, careful 
study will show that in by far the majority of 
cases, patients who complain of flatulence or gas 
on the stomach are habitual air swallowers, 
though unconscious of the fact. What seems to 
such a person to be raising gas from the stom- 
ach, is as a matter of fact the introduction of air 
into the stomach. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 277 

Gas which cannot be expelled is usually in the 
small intestine and is associated with an incom- 
petent ileocolic valve. 

Bad Breath 

Q. What is the cause of bad breath? 

A. Perfume and cosmetics may cover up a 
bad breath and a dirty complexion, but they do 
not change them. The cause is loathsome masses 
of putrescent food remnants in the colon. Foul 
gases absorbed into the blood find their way out 
through the lungs and pollute the breath. 

A strong odor of the perspiration is due to 
the same cause. The remedy consists in clear- 
ing out that ancient cesspool, the cecum, a hold 
of every unclean germ. Often the whole colon 
is filled with rotting remnants of foodsuffs too 
loathsome for description. 

Coated Tongue 

Q. How may the tongue be cleared when 
coated? 

A. A coated tongue is not an indication of a 
diseased state of the stomach, but of the blood. 
The cause is usually located in the colon. Con- 
stipation is the usual cause of a coated tongue 
and a foul breath. The remedy is to be found 
in changing the intestinal flora and the cure of 
constipation. 



278 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Anti-toxic Glands 

Q. What are the anti-toxic glands? 

A. Notwithstanding the marvelous activity 
of the intestinal mucous membrane and the 
liver in the exclusion, destruction and attenua- 
tion of poisons, still a considerable quantity 
of toxins reach the general circulation, especi- 
ally in cases in which intestinal putrefaction is 
active. The destruction of these poisons is a 
function which pertains to a class of glands the 
purpose of which was not understood until the 
development of the doctrine relating to auto- 
intoxication by Bouchard and his followers. 

It is now known that the thyroid gland, the 
suprarenal capsules, the pituitary body, the thy- 
roid, the parathyroid, and the thymus glands are 
actively engaged in the destruction or antidoting 
of toxins absorbed from the intestine and circu- 
lating in the body through the blood and lymph. 
Dogs fed on meat die quickly after the opera- 
tion of thyroidectomy, as shown by Horsely and 
Scruff. Rabbits suffer little inconvenience from 
the operation. Dogs fed upon bread and milk 
are nearly exempt from ill-effects from the 
operation, but die quickly when fed on beef tea 
and roast meats. Here is another graphic il- 
lustration of the difference between a flesh diet 
and a non-flesh dietary as regards the protective 
struggle required by the body. Combe, nearly 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 279 

twenty years ago from observations made upon 
infants, was led to believe that the chief func- 
tion of the thyroid and parathyroid was to de- 
stroy the products of intestinal putrefaction. 
I lis views seem to be confirmed by the very re- 
cent observations of numerous investigators, 
particularly those of Blum and Kishi. Blum 
holds that the thyroid neutralizes the toxins 
produced by the putrefaction of albumens in the 
intestine. Kishi believes that a highly toxic sub- 
stance which he calls prothyreo toxin, a nucleo- 
proteid, is produced by the putrefactive decom- 
position of meat in the intestines and that the 
secretion of the thyroid gland, thyroidin, has a 
special affinity for this poison and combining 
with it forms thyreotoxin, which splits up into 
two harmless substances which constitute the in- 
ternal secretion of the thyroid gland and are 
eliminated by the kidneys. This protective action, 
according to Kishi, is carried on by the thyroid 
and parathyroid glands in conjunction. When 
these glands fail to do their work, the prothy- 
reotoxin accumulates in the body and general 
toxic symptoms develop in the nervous system 
and the entire body. When the insufficiency 
exists in the parathyroids alone, the result is 
tetany. If the insufficiency is in the thyroid, 
the result is myxoedema. 

The pituitary body is a remarkable structure, 
formerly regarded as a gland, now known to be 



280 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

half a gland and half a ganglion, notwithstand- 
ing its minute size is believed to play a highly 
important part in the defense of the body against 
entero-toxins. The action of the pituitary body 
appears to be in some way related to the supra- 
renal capsules. 

Gley, Oliver, Abelous and others have clearly 
established the importance of the internal secre- 
tion of the suprarenals as an anti-toxic agent, of 
great importance in the protection of the body 
against entero-toxins. Charrin has shown that 
suprarenal secretion attenuates the toxicity of 
alkaloids, and Gourf eim has established the fact 
that the secretion of the suprarenals neutralizes 
or destroys a number of toxic substances which 
are found in the blood stream. Muhlman dis- 
covered that the suprarenals destroyed a highly 
toxic substance resulting from intestinal putre- 
faction, brenzcatechin, to which the pigmentation 
of the skin, so commonly seen in intestinal au- 
tointoxication, is due. This discovery makes 
clear the reason for the remarkable pigmentation 
of the skin which occurs in Addison's disease. 

Flatulence From Drinking at Meals 

Q. Why should a glass of water, or even 
a half glass, taken between meals, cause gas 
on the stomach? Can this be prevented? And 
does one not need the water? 

A. The symptom referred to may be the re- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 281 

suit of the swallowing of air while drinking wa- 
ter. It may be due to the setting up of peristaltic 
movements in the stomach. In cases of hypera- 
cidity in which the pylorous is likely to be too 
strongly contracted, water drinking, by increas- 
ing the acid formation and causing contraction 
of the stomach, frequently gives rise to 
eructations of gas that is forced upward on ac- 
count of the closure of the pylorus preventing 
its escape downward. 

Prolapsed Colon 

Q. What causes prolapsed colon? 
A. Over filling it with semi-solid contents or 
gas. 

Ulcer of the Duodenum 

Q. Can ulcer of the duodenum be perma- 
nently cured without operation? 

A. Most cases may be cured without oper- 
ation provided the colon can be made to act 
properly and the patient can be made to follow 
die required regimen. 

Ulceration of the Rectum 

Q. What is the cause of ulceration of the 
rectum, and what can I do to prevent the re- 
turn of this condition? 

A. Ulceration of the rectum is due to in- 



282 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

fection. The most important thing to do to 
prevent a return is to build up the general health 
as much as possible and thus keep resistance 
high and exercise especial care to keep the 
rectum thoroughly clean. Any residue of fecal 
matter left in the rectum will cause local irrita- 
tion and infection. If the rectum is kept thor- 
oughly clean, this will not occur. In many per- 
sons, the bowels are not completely evacuated, a 
small amount of fecal matter being left behind in 
the rectum or lower bowel. In such cases, the 
introduction of a few ounces of cold water just 
after the bowels have acted will remove any such 
residue. The introduction of an ounce or two of 
oil at night is also beneficial. 

The anal region should be cleansed with water 
after every bowel movement. The native Hindoo 
always does this and thinks the practice of Euro- 
peans most uncleanly. When the parts are not 
cleansed thoroughly, the highly infectious mate- 
rial left behind in folds of the skin and mucous 
membrane set up irritation and inflammation the 
result of which may be either ulcer, fissure, hem- 
morrhoids or eczema. When the parts are thor- 
oughly cleansed after every stool, irritations pres- 
ent usually soon recover. Even hemorrhoids 
generally disappear. If anything more is needed, 
a suppository containing tannin or some other 
antiseptic may be used after each movement. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 283 

Charcoal 

Q. Is charcoal of any value in combating 
intestinal toxemia? 

A. Powdered charcoal if taken in sufficient 
quantity is undoubtedly capable of rendering 
valuable service in combating toxic conditions 
of the intestine. Besides producing a laxative ef- 
fect the charcoal absorbs a considerable amount 
of the poisons resulting from putrefactive 
changes in the intestine. Charcoal tablets are 
useless. 

Diarrhoea With Constipation 

Q. What is the cause of chronic diarrhoea? 

A. Diarrhoea often means the same thing 
as constipation being due to irritation result- 
ing from retained fecal matters. Frequent bowel 
movements occur because the bowel is never 
completely emptied. 

The writer has met many cases in which the 
x-ray showed that a test meal remained three or 
four days in the colon, notwithstanding the fact 
that the patient's bowels moved ten or twelve 
times a day. Bowel movements are too frequent 
but never complete. The* patient feels sure that 
his bowels move too much and that they should 
be checked. To make use of bland and con- 
centrated foods is a serious error. Such a diet 



284 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

only makes matters worse. Scourers are needed 
to clear the bowel out and to keep it clean. In 
no other way can the intestine be restored to a 
normal condition. The "Fruit Regimen" is es- 
pecially useful. 

Causes of Constipation 

Q. What are the causes of constipation? 

A. The causes are many. The chief ones 
are: 

1. Concentrated food, that is, insufficient 
roughage or bulk making food. 

2. Neglect to attend the "call" of Nature 
promptly. 

3. The use of flesh foods. 

4. Lack of exercise, causing weakness of 
the abdominal muscles. 

5. Stooped or "slumped'' attitude in sitting. 

6. In women, the corset and tight bands. 

7. The high closet seat. 

8. Irritating condiments. 

9. Irregularity of meals. 

10. The use of laxative mineral waters and 
drugs. 

Inactivity of the bowels may be due to any 
one of these several causes. A most common 
cause is a torpid state of the liver. In cases 
in which the stool is hard and dry, the im- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 285 

mediate cause is deficiency of secretion of mu- 
cus by the intestinal mucous membrane. The 
following suggestions will be found helpful: 
1. Eat coarse food, such as brose, peas, beans, 
vegetables, etc. Avoid meat and condiments, tea, 
coffee, fats, pastry, and all unwholesome articles 
of food. 2. Drink two to three quarts of water 
daily. The water should be taken an hour be- 
fore the meal, and not within two hours after. 

3. Wear at night a wet abdominal bandage, con- 
sisting of a towel wrung out of cold water dry 
enough so it will not drip, and covered with 
several thicknesses of dry flannel. The towel 
should be long enough to go around the body 
two or three times. It should be taken off in 
the morning, and the surface should be well 
rubbed with the hand dipped in cold water. 

4. Two or three times a day knead and per- 
cuss the bowels with the hands for five or ten 
minutes very thoroughly. 

Flesh Eating and Constipation 

Q. Are the effects of constipation worse 
when meat is eaten? 

A. Yes. Constipation is an exceedingly 
damaging condition to any person, but this is 
especially true when flesh food of any sort en- 
ters largely into the dietary. Eggs and flesh food 
readily undergo putrefactive changes. This is 



286 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

just as true within the body as outside of the 
body, and is especially true in the body for two 
reasons. The conditions of warmth and moisture 
within the- body are exactly such as favor decay 
in the highest degree; and, besides there are al- 
ways found in the intestine many millions of 
active, putrefactive bacteria, which quickly set 
up decay in any putrescible substances with 
which they may come in contact. 

A beefsteak smeared with fecal matters and 
left in a warm place would certainly undergo 
very active putrefaction. The same beefsteak 
in contact with the same fecal matters within 
the body would undergo decomposition with 
equal facility. The more largely eggs and meat 
enter into the dietary, the larger will be the 
amount of undigested remnants of these putres- 
cible foodstuffs, and the greater will be the 
amount of putrefaction products. The free use 
of eggs and meat is unquestionably a widespread 
cause of disease through the encouragement of 
intestinal putrefactions resulting in intestinal 
autointoxication. 

Vegetarians may suffer much the same as meat 
eaters when milk and eggs are freely used. 
Even persons who are strict vegetarians, but 
who are constipated, may suffer from intes- 
tinal putrefaction. In these cases the putrefac- 
tion is doubtless in large part due to ihe fact 
that the intestine has become diseased and in- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 287 

fected by the long use of putrescible foods, and 
the active germs which are present find a suffi- 
cient amount of food material, even in such food- 
stuffs as nuts, cereals, peas and beans, to main- 
tain an active putrefactive process. 

Constipation and Hyperacidity 

Q. Will constipation produce hyperacidity? 

A. The constant association of hyperhydro- 
chloria or gastric hyperacidity with intestinal au- 
tointoxication or toxemia has been observed by 
many authors ; but, so far as the writer is aware, 
little or no attention has been given to what 
seems to be a very evident relation between in- 
testinal putrefaction and hyperacidity. Roger, 
who has made an elaborate study of the toxins 
produced in the alimentary canal under various 
conditions, has demonstrated that one of the 
functions of the stomach is to excrete poisons 
from the blood. He holds that these poisons may 
be derived from intestinal putrefaction, and one 
of the functions of the stomach is to eliminate 
the poisons absorbed from the intestines. He 
found the toxicity of the contents of a rabbit's 
stomach to be 11.5, the amount required to kill a 
rabbit. 

That of a dog fed on meat was 4.5, near- 
ly three times as great. Cassaut and Soux found 
the toxicity to be 5.3. The gastric juice tested 



288 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

by them was found to have a toxicity of 30. 
When meat was digested in the gastric juice, 
the product had a toxicity of 13.7. 

Golds and Constipation 

Q. Is a cold the result of constipation, or 
does a cold produce ^this disease? 

A. A person suffering from a cold is usually 
constipated, but on investigation it will generally 
be found that there had been more or less con- 
stipation before the cold was contracted. The 
cold is, of course, aggravated by constipation, 
because it leads to the accumulation of poisons. 
In a condition of cold there is already an ac- 
cumulation of poisons, and one of the measures 
of first importance in getting rid of a cold is to 
increase the activity of the bowels. The bowels 
ought to be made to move three or four times a 
day. 

Incompetency of the Ileocecal Valve 

Q. Does incompetency of the ileocecal valve 
cause autointoxication ? 

A. It seems clear that simple decrease and in- 
crease of peristalsis at least, so far as the colon 
is concerned — have little or no influence upon the 
amount of decomposition. The latter is aug- 
mented when large quantities of material liable 
to decompose — mucous and other inflammatory 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 289 

products, soluble protein, and so on — are present 
at the same time ; or when the small intestine 
is simultaneously affected, owing to incompetence 
of the ileocecal valve, stenosis, or other similar 
conditions. 

Indeed, Strasburger maintains that the total 
number of bacteria in the feces is less in consti- 
pation than in diarrhoea. 

Tight Sphincter 

Q. Is it true that undue contraction of 
the anal muscle gives rise to nervous prostra- 
tion, insomnia, debility, etc., through pressure 
upon the sympathetic nerves? 

A. The \nnocent public has-been humbugged 
to an enormous degree by so-called rectal spe- 
cialists or orificial surgeons who have claimed 
to find in rectal disorders the cause of almost 
every malady known to medical science. Most 
chronic ailments are due to incorrect habits in 
diet or in other particulars. When the cause is 
removed, recovery is generally quite prompt 
through the natural recuperative powers of the 
body. Anal hypertension is a symptom, not a 
cause. 



290 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Fat Fermentation 
Q. Do fats ferment in the intestine? 

A. According to Taylor: "The fats are very 
resistant to fermentation in the intestine, and 
even under pathological conditions it is rare to 
find an active fermentation of fat. There is no 
foundation for the fear that an acidosis may be 
caused by the formation of harmful acids from 
fatty acid in the intestine." 

Ferments of the Intestinal Juiee 

Q. What are the ferments of the intestinal 
juice? 

The intestinal mucous membrane is the one 
tissue that forms all the different ferments em- 
ployed in digestion. These ferments are: amyl- 
ase, maltase, invertase, lactase, emulsin, erepsin, 
lipase, chymosin. 

The intestine alone may accomplish the entire 
work of digestion without the aid of the sali- 
vary glands, the stomach or the pancreas. 

Nearly the whole work of digestion and ab- 
sorption is done by the small intestine. The 
stomach digests little and absorbs less. The small 
intestine absorbs nearly six quarts of liquid daily. 
The colon absorbs only ten or twelve ounces. It 
is quite evident then that the small intestine is 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 291 

the most important part of the digestive appa- 
ratus. Notwithstanding this fact, half of the 
small intestine (ten or twelve feet) has been suc- 
cessfully removed. In these cases nutrition was 
found to be somewhat impaired but according 
to Albu one-third of the small intestine may be 
removed without disturbing nutrition. Lane 
and numerous other surgeons have shown that 
practically the entire colon may be removed, not 
only without injury to the health, but with great 
advantage to the patient in certain cases. 

Chronic Toxemia 

Q. What are the effects of chronic intestinal 
toxemia? 

A. Among the effects enumerated by Schmidt 
and other German authorities are trophic changes 
in the stomach and intestines. These are very 
commonly found in cases of pernicious anemia 
and are attributed to the influence of intestinal 
toxins which are enormously increased in this 
disease. According to Stiler, albumin and casts 
are frequently found in cases of severe consti- 
pation as well as in intestinal obstruction and 
Stromayer has shown that partially digested 
meat may be found in the urine in cases of 
ulceration of the intestine. Bouchard and Boix 
called attention to the fact that intestinal toxemia 



292 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

may give rise to enlargement and cirrhosis of the 
liver. Most chronic maladies are chiefly due to 
intestinal toxemia. 

Extent of Intestinal Putrefaction 

Q. To what extent does putrefaction take 
place in the intestine? 

A. According to Hencki, MacFayden, and 
other investigators, not less than one-seventh of 
the total amount of protein eaten is ordinarily 
destroyed by putrefaction, thus occasioning a 
very considerable loss to the body. But the loss 
of an important food principle is a matter of 
small consequence compared with the mischiefs 
which result from the poisons into which this 
one-seventh of the nitrogenous food supply is 
converted, instead of being converted into human 
albumin adapted to the nutrition of the body. 

Intestinal Flora 

Q. What is meant by the intestinal flora? 

A. Plants which grow in a locality are known 
as its flora. Germs are microscopic organ- 
isms which belong to the vegetable kingdom 
and hence the germs found in the intestine are 
known by bacteriologists as the intestinal flora. 
Much attention has been given to the study of 
these intestinal germs. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 293 

Herter, as well as others, has clearly shown 
that the number of these pernicious toxin-pro- 
ducing organisms present depends largely upon 
the character of the food, — the larger the amount 
of protein food, the larger the number of or- 
ganisms. The feces of the lion, tiger, wolf, and 
cat showed enormous numbers of these patho- 
genic organisms. On the other hand, exami- 
nation showed the fecal matters of the buffalo, 
goat, camel and elephant to be very free from vir- 
ulent organisms. In other words, Doctor Herter 
shows that there is a distinct herbivorous type of 
bacterial flora. When broth was inoculated 
with feces, he found mercaptan was produced by 
the feces of carnivorous animals, but that none 
was produced by the feces of herbivorous ani- 
mals. Emulsions of carnivorous feces inocu- 
lated into guinea-pigs gave rise to edema, 
hemorrhages, and destruction of tissues. Gas 
and butyric acid were formed. The effects were 
similar to those produced by Welch's bacillus 
aero genes capsulatus. 

Food Absorption 

Q. In what part of the intestine is food ab- 
sorbed? 

A. The most rapid absorption occurs in the 
lower duodenum and upper jejunum and lessens 



294 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

gradually from the upper part of the jejunum 
to the lower part of the ileum. 

There is practically no absorption of food 
products from the colon. 

Putrefaction in Starvation 

Q. Does intestinal putrefaction occur dur- 
ing starvation? 

A. Intestinal putrefaction > does not cease in 
starvation. On the contrary, after the first few 
days the signs of intestinal putrefaction in the 
urine and feces indicate that the bacteria in the 
intestine are very active. The material on which 
they feed is the protein of the intestinal se- 
cretions. 

These proteins are apparently rich in phenyl- 
amino-acids and tryptophan, as phenol and 
indol compounds are prominent in the urine 
and feces of the starving individual. The ac- 
tion of bacteria under these conditions is 
heightened by the presence of constipation. And 
though we must believe that the mass of ali- 
mentary secretions is much reduced in the state 
of starvation, their prolonged retention in the 
lower intestinal tract affords to bacteria full op- 
portunity for action. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 295 

Rectal Pain 

Q. What will relieve rectal pain? 

A. The pain of hemorrhoids and rectal ulcer 
generally yields to fomentations applied over the 
anal region. A very hot sitz bath is usually 
effective in cases of this sort. The water need 
not be more than two or three inches deep, but 
should be as hot as can be borne, the temperature 
being gradually raised, after the patient enters 
the bath, to 115° or 120° F. The pain of in- 
flamed hemorrhoids is sometimes best relieved by 
an alternation of heat and cold. In cases in 
which there is great pain at stool, relief is often 
experienced by sitting over a pail or jar half rilled 
with boiling water while moving the bowels. 
The hot steam relaxes the sphincter, and exer- 
cises a powerful analgesic effect upon the painful 
tissues. 

Painful Defecation 

Q. What is the best means of relieving pain 
which occurs soon after moving the bowels? 

A. Hemorrhoids are often the cause of pain, 
but this pain usually occurs at the time of the 
bowel movement. A sharp, acute pain is gen- 
erally due to a fissure or fistula. In some cases, 
the pain is greatest in the act of defecation, in 
others it is most severe half an hour later. The 
latter is the case when the pain is the result 



296 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

of fissure. Of course the proper mode of treat- 
ment will include radical measures or surgical 
interference; nevertheless, much can be done to 
mitigate the sufferings of the patient without a 
surgical operation. One of the very best means 
we know of is evacuation of the bowels in steam 
over warm water. Instruct the patient to sit 
over a vessel nearly full of hot water, as hot as 
can be borne without burning. This will so re- 
lax the parts as to greatly diminish the pain; 
and if the contents of the bowels have been soft- 
ened by an enema, as should always be done, 
the patient may get along with scarcely any 
pain at all. Surgery is often necessary. 

It is highly important in these cases that the 
bowels should move three times a day and the 
stools should be made soft by the use of 
sterilized bran and paraffin in some form, prefer- 
ably paraffin tablets. 

Hemorrhoids 

Q. Is there any remedy for hemorrhoids 
without an operation? 

A. Yes. Most cases of hemorrhoids may be 
so greatly helped by prolonged cold sitz baths 
that an operation becomes unnecessary. The wa- 
ter should be about three or four inches deep in 
the tub, with the temperature 60° F. The 
duration of the bath should be from twelve to 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 297 

twenty minutes. The feet should be placed in 
not water at the same time, and a woolen 
blanket should be wrapped about the body to 
prevent chilling. Hemorrhoids may be cured by 
a painless electrical method. Constipation must 
be prevented. 

Internal Hemorrhoids 

0. What is the cause and what should be 
the treatment for internal hemorrhoids? 

A. Internal hemorrhoids are usually due to 
chronic constipation. Relief may generally be 
obtained by keeping the bowels in an active 
state, so that straining and hard stools will be 
avoided. It is also well to introduce some anti- 
septic suppository after each bowel movement 
to prevent infection and inflammation of the in- 
fected part. A suppository made of cocoa but- 
ter and containing one or two grains of tannic 
acid is very serviceable for this purpose. 

By the use of an emulsion of parafrn oil and 
other laxative foods and care to move the bowels 
regularly two or three times a day, the incon- 
venience which has been suffered from hemor- 
rhoids will usually disappear. In extreme cases, 
however, in which large masses are formed and 
the tissues have been greatly changed by disease, 
an operation is advisable. The hemorrhoids may 
be removed by a very simple operation that in- 



298 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

volves little or no pain, and no risk of life, 
and that is radically effective. 

Colitis 

Q. Is colitis, or catarrh of the bowels, the 
same as consumption of the bowels? 

A. No. Consumption of the bowels is a 
form of tuberculosis, and colitis is a disease of 
the mucous membrane due to the presence in 
excessive numbers of putrefactive organisms and 
their toxins. 

Cause of Colitis 

Q. What is the cause of colitis? 

A. According to Tissier, of Paris, colitis and 
enteritis would not exist but for the eating of 
animal foods. Meats of all foods have a 
tendency to produce these diseases — particularly 
because they contain the very germs that cause 
them. These germs, moreover, are known to be 
identical with the germs that produce the putre- 
faction of meats, so that with every morsel of 
flesh infection is taken into the system. In other 
words, eat enteritis and colitis and you have 
them ; leave them out of your dietary and you 
will be immune against them. Enteritis and 
colitis are inflammation or catarrh of the in- 
testines — enteritis of the small and colitis of the 
large intestine, and both spring directly from the 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 299 

masses of undigested flesh particles which lie 
about in the intestines rotting because they con- 
tain germs whose function it is to produce decay 
and putrefaction. 

Colic 

Q. What will relieve the intense pain 
caused by gas in the stomach or abdomen? 

A. The best measures are the hot enema and 
hot fomentations. The hot full bath is some- 
times necessary. The most obstinate cases are 
those in which the ileocecal valve is incompetent. 
Such cases sometimes require an operation for 
repair of the valve. 

Intestinal Catarrh — Colitis 

Q. What is the cause of passages from the 
bowels of mucus and strings of what looks like 
the mucus lining accompanied with great 
tenseness and nervousness and mental and 
physical depression? 

A. The presence of opaque mucus "strings" 
and "flakes," masses or "casts" of mucus in 
the bowel passages is evidence of the existence 
of infection of the intestine. The colon is the 
part most commonly affected, and hence the 
name "coiitis." The cause is constipation, — the 
long retention of putrefying fecal matters in 
contact with the mucus membrane of the colon. 



300 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

It is for this reason that colitis most com- 
monly affects the lower half of the colon. 

One of the consequences of colitis is a cramp- 
like contraction of the colon which causes an 
aggravated form of constipation, the so-called 
'"spastic constipation.*' 

Another serious result is intestinal toxemia, 
due to the ready absorption of poisons through 
the diseased mucous membrane. This is the ex- 
planation of the nervous and other symptoms 
which accompany this condition. 

Combe and others have pointed out that 
colitis is a meat eater's disease. That is, those 
who do not eat meat are little subject to this 
malady, which is exceedingly common in meat 
eaters. This is equally true of appendicitis, be- 
cause appendicitis is one of the consequences of 
colitis. 

Colitis is always curable if the patient is will- 
ing to make the necessary effort. Treatment 
measures must be thoroughgoing and the 
regimen must be very carefully regulated. For 
a rapid cure, all animal proteids must be ex- 
cluded from the diet. That is, milk, eggs, and 
meats of all sorts must be discarded. Losier 
has shown that the germs which cause colitis 
thrive on animal proteins and starve on vege- 
table foods. 

The bowels must be made to move three or 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 301 

four times a day whenever it is possible, and 
the protective ferments Bacillus Bulgaricus, B. 
Giycobacter and B. Bifidus should be taken daily 
a few months. The cure is hastened very 
much by cleansing the colon daily and then flush- 
ing with suitable solutions containing the pro- 
tective ferments. By this means the friendly 
germs are planted where they are most needed. 
The intestinal flora must be changed, and the 
habitual diet must be such as to make the change 
permanent. 

Colon Pain 

0. What is the cause of a dull aching pain 
in the left side of the body near the upper por- 
tion of the groin? 

This pain is usually due to colitis. When 
this is the cause, pressure over the seat of pain 
will reveal a tender area usually extending along 
the side for several inches and when the ac- 
cumulation of fat is not too great the colon may 
be outlined giving the impression of a firm 
tubular shape. 

Absorption By the Colon 

Q. To what extent is food absorbed by the 
colon? 

There is practically no absorption of food 
by the. colon. Almost the entire work of ab- 



302 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

sorption is performed by the small intestine, 
which is also the principal organ of digestion. 
According to Taylor, the small intestine ab- 
sorbs about six quarts a day, or an average of 
two quarts for each meal. The amount ab- 
sorbed by the colon is not more than ten or 
twelve ounces during twenty-four hours. It has 
been demonstrated by the physiologists that 
while the colon absorbs water with considerable 
avidity, it absorbs no fat at all and only the 
most minute quantities of carbohydrates and 
protein, so it practically takes no part in the work 
of digestion. The lower half of the colon also 
excretes salts, fats and various metallic sub- 
stances, especially iron and lime. These same 
substances are excreted by the small intestine 
and through the bile to some extent, but to a 
much less degree. The lower half of the colon 
appears to be the chief organ for the excretion 
of lime and metallic salts. "The ileocecal valve 
forms a sharp line of demarcation" between the 
colon and the small intestine. 

Examination of the Colon 

Q. Is it possible to follow the colon from 
the surface of the body? 

A. Yes, especially when the colon is filled 
with hardened material and the abdominal walls 
are very thin, the colon can be easily marked 
out. It is best studied with the x-ray. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 303 

Greedy Colon 

Q. What is meant by greedy colon? 

A. In chronic constipation the colon seems 
to acquire the faculty of destroying and ab- 
sorbing a considerable amount of insoluble ma- 
terials which are not absorbed by normal colons. 
The small residue of fat which maintains a 
plastic condition of the feces in normal con- 
ditions almost entirely disappears in constipa- 
tion. When the bowels are constipated by means 
of opium, the stool is dry because of the ab- 
sorption of water, but the dried residue is not 
diminished. It is probable that the disappear- 
ance of cellulose in the colon in constipation is 
due to the action of bacteria. Even bran and 
agar-agar often disappear in large quantities in 
such cases, especially if finely ground. Some 
authorities apply the term "greedy colon" to 
such cases, although the colon is not at fault. 

Weight of Feces 

Q. What is the normal weight of the feces? 

A. The weight of the stool on a milk diet is 
rarely above 50 grams, — one and two-thirds 
ounces. 

The weight of the stool on a mixed diet is 50 
to 300 grams, seldom under 100 grams. 

The more fruit and vegetables, the greater the 
weight of the stool. 






304 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The daily stool in a vegetarian or fruitarian 
may weigh a pound or more. 

Normal Color of the Feces 
Q. What is the normal color of the feces? 

A. The best example of the normal feces is 
to be seen in the discharges of a young infant, 
which are yellow in color and are either odor- 
less or have a slight acid odor. When putre- 
faction is present the stool is usually black or 
brown in color and has a very offensive am- 
moniacal or putrid odor. The stools of adults 
generally have this appearance. In nearly all 
cases more or less putrefaction is present. By 
change of the flora the stool may be made to ac- 
quire an appearance closely resembling that of 
an infant. 

Examination of Feces 

Q. Is it possible to obtain any important 
information concerning the condition of the 
body by examination of the stools or bowel 
discharges? 

A. The examination of the feces is a most 
valuable means of diagnosis, especially in cases 
of chronic disease; it is in fact a necessary part 
of the thoroughgoing investigation of a case. 

This examination not only determines the pres- 
ence or absence of intestinal parasites, such as 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 305 

tapeworm, hookworm, amoeba, etc., but indi- 
cates the kind of bacteria present, and hence 
gives the key to the character of the fermenta- 
tions taking place in the intestines, and the 
nature and amount of the bacterial toxins pro- 
duced. Repeated at intervals of a week or two, 
it affords an opportunity to watch the gradual 
change of the intestinal flora from a noxious 
to a friendly sort, under the influence of an 
antitoxic diet and the use of antitoxic ferments. 

The Enema 

Q. Do regular daily enemas have a de- 
bilitating effect? 

A. Hot and warm enemas have a relaxing 
tendency. Cool enemas, that is, at a temper- 
ature of 85° to 70° F., have a tonic effect. 

For Dry Stools 

Q. What is the best form of enema for very 
dry stools? 

A. Warm oil is best in such a case. Use 
from four ounces to half a pint of olive oil at 
a temperature of 105'° F. Take care to see that 
the oil is perfectly sweet. Rancid oil might do 
much mischief. Hot soapsuds may be used in- 
stead of oil. The solution of soap should not be 
so strong as to be irritating. 



306 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The Appendix 

Q. Of what practical use is the appendix in 
the body? 

A. The appendix secretes mucus which lu- 
bricates the alimentary bolus, which is brought 
to the lower end of the caecum. 

Appendicitis 

Q. Is an operation necessary in every case 
of appendicitis? 

A. A surgeon should be consulted in every 
case of appendicitis. Each individual case must 
be judged on its merits. Severe cases of ap- 
pendicitis require prompt surgical intervention. 
In cases of chronic appendicitis the danger of a 
fatal issue is much less than in acute appen- 
dicitis, but the condition is one of too much 
gravity to be safely ignored. 

At the beginning of an attack, the bowels 
should be moved by a large enema containing 
a little soap or an ounce of sulphate of mag- 
nesia. Apply hot hip and leg packs every three 
hours, with one or two ice-bags in the right 
groin continuously. 

If the patient does not improve rapidly as a 
result of the thorough application of the above 
treatment, as shown by the lower temperature, a 
slower pulse, and relief of pain, a thoroughly 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 307 

competent surgeon should be consulted. The 
most desirable time for performing an oper- 
ation in a case of acute appendicitis is within 
the first twenty-four hours. Later than this, 
the disease is likely to be found extensively in- 
volving the surrounding tissues and operation 
is much more difficult. In such cases, if the pa- 
tient shows indications of recovery, the opera- 
tion may be postponed to some days later when 
the symptoms of inflammation have disappeared. 
But if an operation is decided upon, it should 
be done promptly. Delay is perhaps unwise in 
any case in which operation is clearly shown to be 
necessary. When abscess results, as shown by 
thickening, swelling, continued pain, and temper- 
ature, the abscess is usually opened and drained 
without attempt to remove the appendix. It 
must always be remembered that appendicitis is 
generally simply an extension of infection from 
the colon to the appendix. Removal of the ap- 
pendix will not cure the diseased colon. This 
must receive proper attention later. 

Recurring Appendicitis 

Q. Is an attack of appendicitis liable to 
make one susceptible to a second attack? 

A. Yes. Appendicitis doubtless begins in the 
colon. It is due to an extension of the infec- 
tion of the colon to the appendix. When a per- 



308 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

son has had an attack of appendicitis, it is evi- 
dent that the colon is infected, and unless the 
colon is cured, the attack is likely to recur. There 
is no doubt, however, that by means of an anti- 
toxic diet and proper care to secure a thorough 
movement of the bowels two or three times 
daily, a person who has recovered from one 
attack of appendicitis need not have another 
unless the condition is quite unusual. 

Repair of Incompetent Ileocecal Valve 

Q. Can an incompetent ileocecal (ileocolic) 
valve be repaired? What is incompetency of 
the ileocecal valve? 

A. Fortunately this defect, which is now be- 
lieved to be responsible for many serious bodily 
ailments, may be completely repaired. It is also 
gratifying to note that the operation is safe and 
that the good results are likely to prove per- 
manent. 

Although the operation is comparatively re- 
cent, several years have elapsed since the first 
cases operated upon and x-ray examinations 
have shown that the repaired valves still per- 
form their functions in a perfectly normal 
manner. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 309 

Short Circuiting of the Colon 

Q. What is short circuiting of the colon? 

A. In short circuiting of the colon, the small 
intestine is detached from its normal connection 
with the colon and is connected with the pel- 
vic colon, the loop of the large intestine which 
joins the rectum. This operation, devised by 
Dr. Lane of London, has been performed in 
many cases' for the purpose of relieving intes- 
tinal toxemia or chronic constipation, and in 
some cases with apparent benefit, but unfortu- 
nately the benefit has in most cases proved to 
be only temporary and in many instances the 
patient has been made much worse than before. 
The operation is rapidly falling into disfavor 
among the best surgeons. Later experience has 
shown that the operation is rarely necessary for 
the following reasons : 

1. By regulation of the diet, especially by the 
adoption of an anti-toxic or fleshless diet and by 
encouraging activity of the bowels through the 
use of sterilized bran, agar-agar and paraffin oil, 
constipation and intestinal toxemia can be suc- 
cessfully combatted in a large proportion of the 
cases in which the operation of short circuiting 
has been thought to be necessary. This has 
been demonstrated in a very extensive way at the 
Battle Creek Sanitarium and other institutions 
in which the dietetic and other measures for 



310 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

correcting the intestinal toxemia have been em- 
ployed in a thoroughgoing way. Combe has ob- 
tained like successful results by non-surgical 
means. 

2. Observations by Dr. J. T. Case, roentgen- 
ologist of the Battle Creek Sanitarium, and clin- 
ical observations by the writer and his associates 
have clearly demonstrated that the so-called 
Lane's kink or adhesions of the small intestine 
near its point of junction with the colon is no 
the cause of the intestinal toxemia which Doctor 
Lane has considered to be an indication for the 
performance of the operation of short circuit- 
ing. It has been shown instead that the toxemia 
which is caused by the retention of foodstuffs 
in the small intestine is not due to an obstruc- 
tion by a kink, but to a reflux or backing up of 
decomposing material from the colon because 
of incompetency of the ileocecal valve. What 
these cases really need then is not short circuit- 
ing, but simply repair of the ileocecal valve. The 
correctness of this view has been established by 
the performance of this operation in more than 
two hundred cases with complete success in 
nearly every case. By repair of the valve the 
so-called "ileac stasis" is cured and the former 
symptoms of toxemia, headaches, loss of appetite, 
coated tongue, foul breath, pigmentation of the 
skin, and other symptoms of chronic toxemia 
have been made to rapidly disappear. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 311 

3. The operation of short circuiting cannot 
succeed permanently for the reason that the new 
point of junction between the small intestine and 
the colon is not protected by the valve which is 
normally found at the ileocolic junction, and the 
consequence is, after a few months fecal mat- 
ters back up into the small intestine, many feet 
of which become distended with fecal matters, 
thus the patient is even worse off than before 
the operation. Whenever an operation for 
transplanting the small intestine to another part 
of the colon is performed, an artificial ileocecal 
valve should be made so that the opening may 
be properly guarded. 

Intra-Abdominal Tension 

Q. What is intra-abdominal tension? 

A. If a small opening is made in the ab- 
dominal wall, the intestine quickly finds its way 
into the opening and is forced outward. This 
is the cause of hernia. There is maintained 
more or less constantly within the abdominal 
cavity a tension. This is necessary to support 
the large blood vessels which are found in this 
part of the body and also to promote movement 
of materials along the intestine and the dis- 
charge of waste matters from the body. This 
internal tension is of very great importance. It 



312 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

aids in regulating the circulation of blood and in 
various other functions, some of which are: 

1. The tone of the intestinal wall. 

2. The size of the intestinal canal. 

3. Action of the intestinal muscles. 

4. Pressure of the abdominal wall. 

5. Pressure of the diaphragm during inspira- 
tion. 

6. Gas distension of the intestines. 
Experiments have shown the great influence 

of variations of intra-abdominal pressure upon 
the rate of absorption. It aids absorption by 
direct pressure from behind just as increased 
atmospheric pressure aids the passage of a solu- 
tion through a filter. This is a factor of great 
importance. 

This is the reason why patients are benefited 
by deep breathing exercises after meals, by lying 
upon the face over a pillow, by lying with a 
weighted or inflated compress over the abdomen 
and by abdominal massage. A boy who has 
eaten too much dinner instinctively compresses 
his stomach by lying over the arm of a chair or a 
barrel or any other convenient object. 

Laxatives in Toxemia 

Q. Does clearing the bowels by laxatives 
lessen intestinal toxemia? 

A. An investigation conducted by Schulz 
(Berlin. Klin. Woch., June, 1900) shows that 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 313 

intestinal antiseptics diminish the ability of the 
intestine to destroy bacteria. After a dose of 
castor oil and calomel, cholera germs were found 
abundantly in the stools of dogs to whom cul- 
tures of this micro-organism had been given, 
while before the calomel was given no bacteria 
were found although large quantities of cholera 
germs had been introduced into the intestine in 
such a way as to avoid action by the gastric 
juice. This experiment indicated that the in- 
testine has in some way the power to destroy bac- 
teria, probably, as suggested by Buchler, by 
means of a special ferment Calomel interferes 
in some way with the action of this protective 
process. 

Intestinal Autointoxication 

Q. What is the meaning of the term "in- 
testinal autointoxication" and what are its 

symptoms? 

A. Intestinal autointoxication is a grave 
condition of the body which results from the 
absorption of poisons from the intestines. The 
source of the poison is putrefaction of undi- 
gested remnants of protein foodstuffs. Things 
which will putrefy outside the body will also 
undergo decay in the body. The conditions of 
the intestine are, in fact, specially favorable 
to promote putrefaction. A piece of raw meat 
applied next to the skin and covered will decay 



314 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

rapidly, and become extremely, offensive within 
a few hours. The same piece of meat lying 
undigested in the colon or the lower part of the 
small intestine, will undergo the same change. 
The poisons produced are absorbed into the 
body and produce disturbances of various sorts. 
Intestinal autointoxication, resulting from the 
combined influence of chronic intestinal inac- 
tivity and the free use of flesh foods, is doubt- 
less responsible for a great share of the chronic 
diseases which are daily increasing in number 
and fatality and threatening to destroy the very 
race. 

The following symptoms of intestinal auto- 
intoxication are mentioned by Combe in his ex- 
cellent work on this subject: "Drawn features, 
a sad expression, skin yellow or pale, dryness of 
the hair, ends of the hair split, scaly scalp, sunken 
eyes, whites of the eyes yellow or dingy, brown 
discoloration of the eyelids, cheeks, or other 
portions of the skin; lips red and congested, 
redness increased during acute attacks, some- 
times swollen and hot; chest emaciated, abdo- 
men bulging or contracted ; nails soft and brittle, 
transverse notches indicating acute attacks of 
toxemia, sometimes white patches on the skin 
of the neck or armpits; glands in the groin en- 
larged, movable but not sensitive; general per- 
spiration or perspiration of the hands and feet, 
especially during sleep. Loss of appetite, ir- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 315 

regular appetite, abnormal appetite, often dis- 
gust for meat, desire for plaster, sand, twine, 
earth, ravenous appetite; feeling of tightness 
at the waist after meals ; colic, abdomen swol- 
len, veins of the abdomen dilated, especially 
about the ninth and "tenth ribs. In young chil- 
dren, liver often enlarged. Sometimes con- 
traction of the pylorus; often contraction of 
the colon. Attacks of vomiting and diarrhea, 
bilious attacks, attacks of jaundice, pain in the 
region of the liver, hardening of the liver, hem- 
orrhoids, abdominal dropsy, gall-stones, rapid 
pulse, symptoms resembling angina pectoris, 
pulsations throughout the body, sensations of 
heat, palpitation of the heart, abnormally slow 
pulse, subnormal temperature, swelling of the 
eyelids on awakening in the morning, swelling 
of the ankles, neurasthenic symptoms, migraine, 
sick headache, loss of memory, especially for 
proper names. Epileptoid attacks, tetany, 
mental disturbance, impoverished blood, perni- 
cious anemia, senility, premature whiteness of 
the hair and beard, incapacity for muscular ex- 
ercise, dwarfed growth; various skin diseases, 
especially prurigo, itching, eczema, and other 
eruptions, urticaria, acne, and boils. "' 

More recent studies of the effects of intestinal 
toxemia indicate that this condition is a factor in 
nearly all forms of chronic disease. Even dis- 
eases of the eye, both acute and chronic are 



316 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

known to be caused by toxins or infections de- 
rived from the colon. Premature aging of the 
eye has been cured in many cases by correcting a 
condition of intestinal toxemia. Doctor Bulkley, 
of New York, has shown that many skin diseases 
disappear when flesh foods are discarded from the 
diet. 

Intestinal Bacteria 

Q. How do intestinal bacteria produce dis- 
ease? 

A. The disease-producing bacteria which de- 
velop in the intestine produce their injurious 
effects through the poisons which result from 
their growth. These poisons are of two classes : 

First, those which are produced by the bac- 
teria while they are alive and which may be 
regarded as excretory products; second, those 
poisons believed by many to be still more viru- 
lent in character and consequences, known as en- 
dotoxins, which are formed within the bodies of 
the bacteria and are set free after death. 

It is probable that each species of bacteria pro- 
duces its own special poisons, each of which pro- 
duces specific effects upon the body, so that in 
reality each different species of these bacterial 
parasites may produce a different or specific dis- 
ease. 

At the present time bacteriologists do not 
possess sufficient knowledge of bacteria or their 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 317 

products to be able to distinguish or designate 
the different forms of disease to which these 
enemies of life and health give rise, except with 
reference to a few species. Future discoveries 
will doubtless throw much light upon this ques- 
tion. 

Worms 

Q. What is the cause and remedy for 
worms? 

A. The human alimentary canal is subject 
to infection by several different species of 
worms. Some of these inhabit the small intes- 
tine and others the colon. No animal parasites 
of any sort locate themselves in the stomach for 
the reason that they are not able to withstand 
the digestive action of the gastric juice. The 
tapeworm which is perhaps the most common 
of these unwelcome tenants of the alimentary 
canal lives in the small intestine and the mucous 
membrane to which it attaches itself, obtaining 
its sustenance from the digested foodstuffs with 
which its body is bathed. Such an arrange- 
ment is essential for the life of the tapeworm for 
the reason that it has no digestive organs of its 
own and hence can exist only at the expense of 
the digestive function of some other animal. 
Two varieties of tapeworm are found in the 
human body, one of which is derived from eat- 
ing infected beef, and the other from pork. The 



318 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

former species was found by Doctor Liedy, of 
Philadelphia, to be ten times as common as the 
latter. Several of the parastic worms which in- 
fect the intestine, particularly those found in the 
colon, are introduced into the body through the 
eating of fresh vegetables which have been in- 
fected through fertilization by sewage, especially 
"night soil." When worms are present they may 
usually be found in the stools. Each particular 
species of worm requires its own remedy. When 
worms are found, a competent physician should 
be employed. 

Trichina 

Q. Is the trichina a dangerous parasite ? Is 
it found in other animals besides the hog? 

A. The trichina is usually found in pork, 
though it may infest the flesh of numerous other 
animals as well. Cases have been reported in 
England, in which it was found in calves. It has 
also been recently discovered in the hippopotamus. 
It exists only in the lean flesh of animals, and is 
found among the muscular fibres or enclosed in 
little sacs or capsules. When taken into the 
stomach by eating of flesh containing it, the worm 
is soon liberated from its capsular prison, and in 
the course of a week undergoes complete develop- 
ment. It speedily brings forth young in im- 
mense numbers, a single worm producing, it is 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 319 

stated, one thousand or more young. The young 
worms very quickly begin to penetrate the sys- 
tem, either by boring their way through the in- 
testinal walls and thence to the muscles, their 
final destination, or by getting into the blood 
vessels and being swept along with the blood 
current. Which is the real method of distribution 
has not yet been determined. 

After reaching the muscles it penetrates the 
sheaths of the fibres, and finally becoming quiet, 
coils itself up and after a time becomes encap- 
sulated. 

Symptoms of Trichinae Infection 

Q. What are the symptoms of infection 
with trichinae? 

A. At first the symptoms resemble those of 
cholera morbus, dysentery, or some other serious 
bowel disturbance. When the young worms be- 
gin to penetrate the system, the symptoms be- 
come more general, and simulate rheumatism, 
cerebro-spinal meningitis, typhoid fever, and 
other diseases. This is the reason why the 
malady is often overlooked. Indeed, there is 
reason for believing that the largest share of 
the cases of this disease are not detected. 
Whether or not death results, depends upon the 
number of parasites received into the system and 
the vitality of the patient. Death usually oc- 



320 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

curs from exhaustion, but may be caused 1 
paralysis of some of the muscles involved in 
respiration. 

The United States government has several 
times warned the public that pork should not be 
eaten without being thoroughly cooked on ac- 
count of the great frequency with which the hog 
is infected with this disease. 

The incurable character of the malady and the 
extreme liability of contracting it, seem to us to 
be ample grounds for discarding the use of 
pork altogether. The hog is well qualified to act 
the part of a scavenger, for which he was evi- 
dently by nature designed; but there is plenty 
of food for human beings far superior in quality 
to swine's flesh. 

Tapeworm 

Q. What are the most prominent symp- 
toms of tapeworm, and by what means may 
the parasite be expelled? 

A. The most prominent symptoms of tape- 
worm are colicky pains in the lower part of 
the abdomen, especially after fasting, relieved 
by a full meal; ravenous hunger, distention of 
the bowel with gas, alternate constipation and 
diarrhea, itching and prickling sensations; in 
children, convulsions ; the passage of portions 
of the worm. Of the various symptoms just 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 321 

named the last is the only positive sign of the 
presence of tapeworm. No patient should ever 
be treated for tapeworm unless the positive signs 
of the presence of the parasite are first detected. 
The application of measures for expelling the 
worm must be managed by a physician. There 
are various remedies, but they should be used 
under the supervision of a competent medical 
man, as is true of the use of all poisons. 

Origin of the Tapeworm 

0. What is the origin of the tapeworm? 

A. The tapeworm is always due to the eat- 
ing of flesh which has been imperfectly cooked. 
The embryos of the young tapeworm are found 
in little sacks or cysts in the lean flesh of beef 
or pork. 

The embryos of tenia solium may he seen 
with the naked eye, looking like small bladders 
in the lean meat of pork. In beef the cysts are 
too small to be readily seen with the unaided 
eye. Flesh containing these creatures is said 
to be "measly." This disease is very common in 
Ireland, where, according to good authorities, 
as large a proportion as three per cent of the 
hogs are affected. The disease is communicated 
to man by eating measly flesh without sufficient 
cooking to kill the embryos ; hence it is most 
common among those who cat raw meat. Pork- 



322 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

packers and cooks are said to be most frequently 
affected with tapeworm, which is probably due 
to the habit of eating raw meat when about 
their work. Among the Abyssinians, whose reg- 
ular diet is raw flesh, almost every person has 
a tapeworm. 

It was formerly supposed that the danger of 
acquiring this disagreeable tenant was wholly 
connected with the use of pork; but the re- 
searches of Doctor Leidy, of Philadelphia, dur- 
ing the last fifteen years, recently made public, 
have shown that the variety of the worm which 
is most common is that caused by the use of 
raw beef. 

The Tapeworm has, in rare instances, been the 
cause of death. It is a cause of weakness and 
general vital depreciation, and may, in this way, 
by lowering vital resistance, predispose to dis- 
eases such as tuberculosis and other maladies 
which may result in death, although it does not 
usually itself lead to a fatal result. 



The Kidney and Its Disorders 

Kidney Work 

Q. How is the work of the kidneys done 
and can it be measured? 

A. The work of the kidneys is done by small 
secreting or excreting units consisting of a minute 
cell or bladder-like expansion with a long micro- 
scopic tube connected with it. Each of these 
bladders contains a minutely coiled blood vessel 
from which it extracts the waste products which 
form the urine. There are three million of these 
urine makers, each with a tube an inch long. 
The combined length of these tubes in a single 
kidney is more than twenty-three miles. In a 
life time of 60 years each little urine factory 
makes about one-third of an ounce of urine or 
350 drops, that is, one drop every two months. 

In old age the urine factories diminish in effi- 
ciency and some are destroyed. When more 
than two-thirds are lost, poisons accumulate in 
the blood and life is extinguished. 

By means of several delicate tests recently de- 
vised it is now possible to determine very ac- 
curately the degree to which the efficiency of the 



324 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

kidneys is lessened. Persons who are constipated, 
smokers, drinkers, tea and coffee users, lose their 
kidney efficiency very early. 

Uric Acid 

Q. Is uric acid harmful? How may an 
excess of uric acid be gotten rid of? 

A. Uric acid is unquestionably a tissue 
poison. It may not have the connection with 
rheumatism which was formerly attributed to it 
by Haig and others, but uric acid is certainly a 
tissue poisOn. It not only produces gout, but 
is unquestionably the cause of high blood pres- 
sure, of disease of the kidneys and of various 
forms of nervous disease. Uric acid is pro- 
duced in the body in small quantities as a result 
of the activity of the tissues, especially of the 
glandular organs. The amount of uric acid pro- 
duced in the body and excreted through the kid- 
neys, according to Magnus-Levy, when none is 
taken in the food, is about four to nine grains. 
On an ordinary mixed diet the quantity is more 
than doubled and when flesh foods are freely 
used the amount may increase to five or six 
times the normal amount. Beefsteak contains 
fourteen grains of uric acid to the pound which 
is double the amount with which the body is 
required to deal when the diet is restricted io 
natural foodstuffs which do not contain uric 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 325 

acid in appreciable amount. Meats of all kinds 
increase the uric acid in the. firing This is 
particularly true of such foods as sweetbreads, 
kidney and liver, which contain five times as 
much uric acid as does beefsteak. Bouillon or 
beef tea and meat extracts have the same effect 
as meat. A pint or two of beef tea doubles the 
amount of uric acid in the urine. It was form- 
erly supposed that the liver destroyed uric acid 
by converting it into urea, but it is now known 
that the human liver is not capable of doing this. 
In the dog and other carnivorous animals the 
liver destroys uric acid readily but in human 
beings and the higher apes the liver does not 
possess this function. This is certainly a very 
clear indication that foods containing uric acid 
are not naturally intended for consumption by 
human beings. 

Renal Efficiency 

Q. Is there any means by which the effi- 
ciency of the kidneys may be determined? 

A. Normally the kidneys are able to do more 
than twice as much work as is needed to main- 
tain life. Many persons have been able to live 
for years after the removal of one kidney. When 
the kidneys are diseased it is highly important 
to know if possible to what extent the disease 



326 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

has destroyed the kidney. This information may 
be obtained by a renal efficiency test. 

By means of recent discoveries it is now 
possible to determine with very great accuracy 
the efficiency of the kidneys, thus making it 
possible to judge of the degree to which the 
kidneys have been disabled by disease. This 
examination is of very great importance not 
only as an aid to prognosis but especially in 
surgical cases as a means of determining the 
ability of a patient to bear the administration of 
an anesthetic and of selecting the anesthetic to 
be used. 

Removal of a Kidney 

Q. Can a person live long after one kidney 
has been removed? 

A. The removal of one kidney has been 
successfully accomplished in many cases. One 
kidney is able to eliminate the waste products 
which naturally escape through this outlet, at 
least under favorable conditions. 

Vitzou, after removal of one-half of one kid- 
ney, a month later extirpated the other kidney 
and found that the half kidney remaining intact 
sufficed to maintain the renal function and that 
excretion and the internal secretions remained 
normal. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 327 

Many experiments have shown that human be- 
ings can exist with a single kidney, provided the 
organ is intact, and it has been observed that 
when one kidney is removed the remaining kid- 
ney enlarges considerably in size and its activity 
becomes very greatly increased. In young ani- 
mals there is an actual increase in the number of 
secreting cells and of their tubes, while in adults 
there is merely an increase in the size of these 
secreting structures without any increase in the 
number of them. 

It is thus apparent that Nature has provided a 
larger capacity for kidney work than is ordinarily 
required for the maintenance of life. This ca- 
pacity may be reduced by removal of the kidney, 
as in the experiment above referred to, by dam- 
age inflicted upon the kidney by over work, and 
by the gradual deterioration which comes with 
age. So long as the kidney capacity is sufficient 
to deal with all the work required of it, no in- 
convenience is experienced, though the amount 
of toxins taken into the body and the amount of 
work required may be much larger than normal. 
But sooner or later the kidney becomes in- 
capacitated by the extraordinary amount of work 
required of it, and then ill effects begin to make 
their appearance and the kidney fails prematurely. 
This is the fate of tobacco users. 



328 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Floating Kidney 

Q. What treatment is best for a floating 
kidney? 

A. It generally needs only to be let alone. 
An abdominal bandage may be worn. 

Meat in Kidney Disease 

Q. Is a meat diet injurious in cases of kid- 
ney disease? 

A. The well-known experiments of Lehman 
show beyond question that the*use of flesh foods 
requires more work of the kidneys than a 
vegetable diet. When living on an exclusively 
animal diet he found that the amount of urea 
eliminated by the kidneys was two and one-half 
times as much as when the diet was exclusively 
vegetable, and one and a half times as much 
when he partook of both animal and vegetable 
food. 

This shows beyond question that when the 
diet is exclusively animal, the kidneys have 
more than double the amount of work to do 
than when it is vegetable. This excessive work 
must inevitably tend to the production of kidney 
disease, which is becoming a very common af- 
fection among thi English and Americans, who, 
as is well known, eat more animal food than 
any other civilized nation. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 329 

Senile Kidneys 

Q. Do the kidneys grow old? 

A. "A man is as old as his arteries,'" said a 
famous French physician. It may be said with 
equal truth that a man is as old as his kidneys. 
Young kidneys are able to do many times the 
work normally required of them. As age ad- 
vances, the kidneys deteriorate as the result of 
their constant exposure to the influence of the 
poisons which they remove from the body. 
When the capacity of the kidneys is reduced to 
less than one-third the normal, life is soon 
ended through the accumulation in the blood 
and tissues of the poisons which it is the duty 
of the kidneys to remove. 

Urobilin 

Q. What is urobilin? 

A. Urobilin is produced by decomposition of 
the pigment of the bile. It is not found at all 
in normal urine. According to Muller the 
urobilin found in the intestine is largely absorbed 
and again excreted in the bile. It is only when 
the amount of urobilin is greater than the liver 
can thus dispose of that it is absorbed into the 
blood and appears in the urine. Lauder-Brunton 
some years ago observed that the bile from a 
biliary fistula lacks the bitter taste which is 



330 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

characteristic of vomited bile. It appears then 
that there is really some truth in the old medical 
theory that the bile becomes thick or concen- 
trated and that a person whose bile is in this con- 
dition may be benefited by getting rid of a large 
amount of the bile by vomiting or purging. This 
perhaps explains the temporary benefit derived 
from the use of calomel which so long main- 
tained the popularity of this harmful drug. The 
calomel by increasing the action of the bowels 
carries off a considerable quantity of bile, thus 
getting rid of the accumulated urobilin and other 
poisons which the bile contains and so relieves the 
patient of the unpleasant effects produced by this 
powerful toxic substance. Bouchard showed, 
many years ago, that the bile pigment is one 
of the most poisonous substances produced in the 
body. Macfadyn and others have .shown that 
urobilin is rarely found in the small intestine, be- 
ing absorbed very quickly and completely after 
entering the intestine from the liver. Its pro- 
duction is confined to the large intestine by the 
putrefactive processes taking place there. It can 
readily be seen that in cases of incompetency 
of the ileocolic valve permitting the entrance 
of putrifying materials into the small intestine, 
the poisonous effects resulting from the/' ab- 
sorption of urobilin must be greatly increased. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 331 

In the new born there is no putrefaction in 
the intestines and hence there is no urobilin 
found in the urine. 

Ammonia in the Urine 

Q. What is the cause of a very strong odor 
of ammonia in the urine? 

A. Ammonia is one of the products of de- 
composition. Decomposing urine is accom- 
panied by an ammoniacal odor. Decomposition 
taking place in the colon in constipation gives 
rise to the formation of ammonia, which may ap- 
pear in the urine. 

Albumin in the Urine 

0. What form of kidney disorder is indi- 
cated by the presence of albumin in the urine? 

A. The temporary appearance of albumin in 
the urine indicates congestion of the kidneys, a 
very common result of constipation. When al- 
bumin is constantly present, it indicates chronic 
degeneration of the kidneys, the result, accord- 
ing to Professor Fisher, of an undue accum- 
ulation of acids in the tissues. The concentration 
of these acids in the kidney results in the dis- 
solving of the cement substance which holds to- 
gether the cells of the kidney. This cement sub- 
stance appears in the urine as albumin. 



332 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Painful Urination 

Q. What is the cause of painful urination? 

A. There are many causes. The most com- 
mon cause perhaps is too highly concentrated 
urine, the result of insufficient water drinking. 
This condition is most likely to occur in the sum- 
mer time when the skin is active. The majority 
of persons drink too little water. The amount 
of liquid taken should be at least three or four 
pints a day. There are many other causes, as 
cystitis or inflammation of the bladder, inflam- 
mation of the urethrea, tuberculosis of the 
bladder, cancerous growths of the bladder, cal- 
culi, in men, enlargement of the prostate gland, 
in women displacement of the womb. When the 
cause is due to concentrated urine it is speedily 
relieved by drinking large quantities of water, 
hot or cold, or hot lemonade. A warm sitz bath, 
temperature 101 10 to 103° F. for five minutes, 
98° F. for ten minutes, a fomentation over the 
bladder or a large warm enema will usually af- 
ford relief. 



The Liver and Gall Bladder 



Liver Function 

O. Has the liver any other function except 
to make bile? 

A. Every person is indebted to his liver for 
rescue from speedy death. This marvelously 
versatile organ has power to destroy poisons. If 
a person drinks water containing lead, or eats 
peas or pickles colored green with copper, the 
liver seizes upon the poisonous metal, and after 
discharging as much of it as possible through 
the bile, gathers the remainder up in its cells, 
thus preventing the circulation of the poison to 
the rest of the body. When a person is found 
suffering from metal poisoning, the fact is evi- 
dent that the liver has been seriously damaged ; 
otherwise other organs would not have suffered. 
The smoker, the user of alcohol, or the opium 
slave would have suffered death from the first 
indulgence in his poison were it not for this 
marvelous function of the liver. Tea and 
coffee, too, are active agents in causing pre- 
mature breakdown of this important vital ma- 
chine ; and the same must be said of condiments, 
mustard, pepper, capsicum, spices, vinegar, hot 



334 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

sauces, and the use of chemical substances in 
bread making. All of these substances should 
be carefully avoided, unless one wishes to die 
prematurely. 

A brief study of the physiology of the liver 
and its relation to the circulation of the blood 
will explain the manner in which this pro- 
tective function of the liver is performed and 
emphasize the importance of not over-taxing it 
by the use of poison-producing foods and 
beverages, and irritating spices and condiments. 

Test for Liver Disease 

Q. Is there any known test for disease of 
the liver? 

A. One of the special functions of the liver 
is the conversion of levulose or fructose into 
dextrose. In organic disease of the liver this 
power is diminished. 

In applying this test the patient takes three 
or four ounces of levulose dissolved in water 
after which the urine is repeatedly examined at 
frequent intervals for some hours. If levulose 
is found in the urine, this fact is evidence that 
the liver is organically diseased. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 335 

Destruction of Poisons by the Liver 

Q. Does the liver destroy poisons? 

A. According to Von Noorden, plant alka- 
loids and putrefaction products lose, without 
exception, one-half, and often more of their 
poisonous properties if they pass through the 
liver before their entrance into the general cir- 
culation. 

The same thing is also true of the decom- 
position products of protein (peptone and am- 
monium salts), and of the still unknown organic 
poisons which are found in the normal urine. 
This detoxication is not due to the excretion of 
the poisonous substances in the bile, for the bile 
contains only traces of alkaloids. It is, more- 
over, not dependent on simple storing up of 
the toxic substance. The liver forms new less 
poisonous compounds from the toxic substances 
by combination with carbohydrates. For this end 
the presenc; of glycogen in the liver is an 
essential factor. If the liver is made glycogen- 
free by hunger or experimental methods, then it 
loses its disintoxicating power, and vice versa, 
poisonous substances produce a less toxic action 
if the glycogen content of the liver is increased 
by simultaneous administration of glucose. 



336 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Defensive Action of the Liver 

Q. Why is the liver called an organ of de- 
fense? 

A. The portal blood brings to the liver great 
numbers of bacteria which have been absorbed 
from the intestine and with these such bacterial 
toxins as have escaped the defensive action of the 
mucous membrane, particularly the salts and 
ammonia compounds. Some of these poisons are 
converted into harmless urea and uric acids 
through the action of the liver by the aid of 
the various enzymes which it provides. Indol, 
skatol and other aromatic bodies are combined 
with sulphuric acid or glycuronic acid and by 
this process of conjugation are rendered in- 
finitely less toxic. A considerable portion of 
these aromatic bodies are absorbed into the 
living substances and retained temporarily so that 
the amount of toxic matter which is permitted 
to pass into the blood at any one time is enor- 
mously diminished. This important action of the 
liver is clearly shown by an experiment which 
was performed by the aid of what is known as 
Eck's fistula. This experiment as seen done by 
the writer in the laboratory of Professor Pawlow 
of St. Petersburg consists in joining the portal 
vein of the ascending vena cava and afterwards 
ligating the portal vein between the anastomosis 
thus made and the liver. The portal blood is 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 337 

then cut off from the liver and turned directly 
into the systemic circulation. In a dog upon 
whom this operation was performed whatever 
substances were absorbed from the intestine 
were sent directly into the general circulation 
instead of being first passed through the liver. 
An observation which has a most important 
bearing upon the question here under discussion 
has been repeatedly made upon dogs having an 
Eck's fistula. Such a dog fed upon bread and 
milk enjoys good health and apparently suffers 
no inconvenience from the- operation, but when 
placed upon a diet of meat, symptoms of pro- 
found toxemia quickly appear and within three 
days the dog is dead. This experiment clearly 
shows that certain toxic substances are formed 
in the intestine of an animal fed upon meat diet 
which are not formed in a non-flesh-eating animal 
and that the action of the liver in destroying 
these poisons is essential to the life of a flesh- 
fed animal. No more graphic evidence of the 
protective action of the liver against the con- 
sequences of intestinal putrefaction could be 
afforded than this. 

The work of the liver seems to be especially 
to destroy bacteria and the poisonous alkaloids 
and ammonia compounds which escape the ac- 
tion of the intestine. As long as the liver is 
intact and able to do its work efficiently, marked 
evidences of general toxemia or intestinal auto- 



338 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

intoxication do not appear even though an in- 
tensely active putrefaction may be taking place 
in the intestine. Certain French writers have at- 
tributed intestinal autointoxication to insufficiency 
of the liver, so-called "hepatism." 

Torpid Liver — "Biliousness" 

Q. What is the cause of a sluggish or tor- 
pid liver? 

A. Sluggishness or congestion of the liver is 
never a primary cause of disease. It is doubt- 
ful if the liver is ever torpid. The liver may 
be over-worked, it may be worn out by excessive 
work, but it is never lazy. It is perhaps the 
most long suffering and abused organ in the 
body. The condition of torpid liver or biliousness 
is due to the over-eating of fats and meat or 
to constipation or both of these causes combined, 
the natural result of over-eating. Constipation 
is the accumulation in the colon of large 
quantities of putrefying material. The absorp- 
tion of the poisonous products of putrefaction 
into the blood would promptly produce fatal re- 
sults were it not for the fact that the blood 
containing these poisonous matters is all con- 
ducted to the liver before distribution to the 
rest of the body. This affords the liver an op- 
portunity to filter and destroy poisonous mat- 
ters. When the amount of these toxic materials 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 339 

is greater than the liver is able to destroy they 
pass on into the blood and are distributed 
throughout the body. The result is the appear- 
ance of symptoms of poisoning, most prominent 
among which are headache, nausea, lassitude, 
drowsiness, loss of appetite, inability to con- 
centrate the mind, indecision, irritability, dull- 
ness and sometimes sleeplessness, coated tongue, 
bad complexion, dark circles around the eyes; 
after some years brown spots upon the hands, 
premature old age, hardening of the arteries, 
Bright's disease and other chronic maladies. The 
remedy for this condition is to remove the cause 
by adopting a natural dietary and free water 
drinking. The diet should consist chiefly of 
fruits and vegetables. Cereals should be used in 
moderation. The bowels should move three or 
four times a day ; the flora must be changed ; 
the circulation stimulated by exercise; the skin 
should be awakened to activity by electric light 
baths and daily cold frictions. 

The Bile 

Q. Is the bile a secretion or an excretion? 

A. The bile is both a secretion and an ex- 
cretion. 

The secretion of bile is continuous, persisting 
during starvation, increasing after eating. The 
amount depends somewhat upon the character 
of the diet. 



340 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The amount of secretion is one to two pints 
daily. 

During digestion the flow of bile is in- 
creased. 

A deficiency of bile encourages intestinal 
putrefaction. Such a deficiency is not due, as 
is often supposed, to a sluggish state of the 
liver but to the obstruction of the gall-ducts or 
to a catarrhal state of the ducts. 

The Use of the Bile 

Q. Of what use is bile? 

A. Bile is, as has been stated, an excretion, 
carrying off alkaline wastes and various poison- 
ous matters. 

Bouchard showed bile to be six times as 
poisonous as urine. It is also useful in the 
digestion of food, especially in carnivorous ani- 
mals. 

In herbivorous animals the bile is practically 
nothing more than an excretion. The popular 
idea that bile is sometimes present in excess 
has no scientific foundation. When bile is lost 
through a biliary fistula, the amount of fat in the 
diet should be greatly reduced. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 341 

Deficiency of Bile 

Q. What is the cause of deficiency in the 
quantity of biliary secretion? 

A. A deficiency in the quantity of biliary 
secretion is frequently the result of auto- 
toxemia. The liver is the filter of the body. 
Poisons which are ingested with the food, or 
which are formed in the intestinal canal as the 
result of fermentations and putrefactions, are 
afterward absorbed into the portal system and 
must pass through the liver before they can 
get into the general circulation. One of the 
chief functions of the liver is to remove these 
poisons from the blood and to oxidize or burn 
them up. When the liver is over-taxed by 
having an unusually large quantity of these 
poisons to deal with, the result is an alteration of 
its function, and frequently a deficiency in 
biliary secretion follows. The liver is most com- 
monly over-taxed by errors in diet, — the use of 
an excess of proteids, tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, 
condiments, vinegar, and especially by fermenta- 
tions and putrefactions which take place in the 
intestines. These putrefactive processes result 
in the formation of powerful poisons which are 
absorbed into the blood, thus throwing an extra 
burden on the liver, reducing its functional ac- 
tivity. 



342 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Catarrh of the Liver 

Q. Is there such a disease as catarrh of the 
liver, and what are the symptoms? 

A. Yes. Attacks of pain in the pit of the 
stomach and in the region of the right side, 
with chills, fever and jaundice, are symptoms of 
catarrh of the liver. 

Cirrhosis of the Liver 

Q. Can cirrhosis of the liver be cured? 

A. No, cirrhosis of the liver cannot be cured. 
It is just as impossible to cure cirrhosis of the 
liver as to restore a piece of burnt leather to its 
natural condition. 

Liver and Hyperacidity 

Q. Does disease of the liver cause hyper- 
acidity? 

A. In recent years many important facts 
have been brought to light respecting the in- 
fluence of disease of the gall-bladder and gall- 
ducts upon the stomach. Pain and distress at 
the pit of the stomach is now known to be in a 
very large proportion of cases due to disease 
of the gall-bladder and the gall-ducts rather than 
of the stomach. In these cases the pain dis- 
appears when the cause is removed by draining 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 343 

the gall-bladder or removing gall-stones which 
are often present. Hyperacidity is always 
found present in cases of jaundice except in 
cases of chronic gastric catarrh in which the 
secreting glands of the stomach have been de- 
stroyed. 

Liver Spots 

Q. What are liver spots and how can they 
be removed? 

A. The brown spots which appear upon the 
hands and face, as well as the dark circles 
which are often seen about the eyes, and general 
brownish pigmentation of the skin, are all due 
to the same cause — namely, chronic autointoxi- 
cation. Through the putrefaction of animal mat- 
ters, particularly undigested particles of meat, in 
the colon, a highly poisonous, brownish-colored 
pigment is produced. This pigment is normally 
destroyed by the suprarenal capsules of the kid- 
neys when it is produced only in small quantities 
and so long as the suprarenal capsules remain 
intact. When this poisonous coloring matter is 
produced in great excess, the suprarenals are 
overworked, undergo degeneration and fail to do 
their duty, and so the poisonous pigment ac- 
cumulates in the body and is deposited in the 
skin as well as in other parts. These pigmented 
spots are nearly always to be found in aged per- 
sons and are an indication of the degeneration 



344 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

which has taken place as a result of advancing 
age. 

Their appearance in persons who are un- 
der the age of sixty indicates premature senility. 
They are likely to be associated with a thin, 
parchment-like, dry, inelastic skin, a condition 
which always indicates senile changes. These 
pigmented spots may often be made to dis- 
appear under the influence of an antitoxic diet 
and increased activity of the bowels. As they 
are always associated with chronic constipation 
or chronic colitis, it is necessary that the bowels 
should receive special attention. The bowels 
should be made to move three or four times a 
day and the diet should be strictly antitoxic. 

Jaundice 

r j. What is the cause of jaundice? 

A. Obstruction of some of the bile passages. 
The cause of the obstruction may be either gall- 
stones or inflammation of the bile passages. 
The cause in either case is infection which gen- 
erally begins in the colon and works upward. In 
most if not all cases of jaundice as well as cases 
of gall-stones without jaundice there is incom- 
petency of the ileocecal valve. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 345 

Diet in Jaundice 

Q. What should be the diet in jaundice? 

A. In cases of jaundice there is marked in- 
terference with the digestion of fats. No matter 
in what form fats are taken their absorption is 
greatly interfered with. Aside from this, jaun- 
dice appears to have very little effect upon 
digestion. The digestion and absorption of 
carbohydrates and protein are not materially im- 
paired. Meat and eggs should be avoided. 

Cause of Gall-Stones 

Q. What is the cause of gall-stones? 

A. The fact that gall-stones contain living 
bacteria, discovered by Gilbert now nearly twenty 
years ago, has completely changed the theory 
respecting the causation of these very trouble- 
some bodies. 

Mognot conducted a series of experiments 
which showed that the ordinary bacteria found 
in the intestine, such as the colon bacillus and also 
the typhoid bacillus and various other bacteria, 
will cause inflammation of the gall ducts. He 
produced gall-stones experimentally at will by 
injecting bacteria into the gall-bladder. Five or 
six months were required for the formation of 
typical gall-stones. The evidence seems to be 
complete that gall-stones are only one of the 



346 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

manifestations of intestinal autointoxication. 
Bacteria may reach the liver and the gall-duct 
from the intestine, either by working their way 
up from the intestine through the biliary pass- 
ages or through the blood vessels by absorption 
into the portal vein. The latter method is be- 
lieved to be the most common. Experimental 
researches which have been made upon this 
point show that millions of bacteria are daily 
absorbed into the blood and circulated through 
the liver. The liver cells are able to deal with 
a certain number of bacteria and will destroy 
germs in great number. But it is evident that 
if the number of germs absorbed becomes 
greater than the liver is able to deal with many 
of them will escape destruction and thus find 
their way into the general circulation. This 
fact explains the presence of bacteria in the 
blood. It is evidently the best part of wisdom 
to take the greatest possible care of the liver. 

Treatment for Gail-Stones 

Q. What is the treatment for gall-stones? 

A. The only method of removing gall-stones 
is by means of surgery. A radical operation may 
be now performed with little risk, although 
twenty-five years ago this operation was right- 
fully regarded as very hazardous. An operation 
is not necessary, however, in every case of gall- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 347 

stones, as postmortem statistics show that gall- 
stones are found after death in about one-tenth 
of all cases examined, from which it appears that 
the great majority of people have gall-stones 
without being conscious of their presence. Gall- 
stones are due to infection and are probably one 
of the many consequences of chronic consti- 
pation. 

Women suffer more from constipation than 
do men, and are more likely to have gall-stones. 
For temporary relief a hot bath and fomenta- 
tions over the region of the gall-bladder and a 
large hot enema, if necessary, are very useful 
measures. 

It is quite possible that one who has once 
had gall-stones and has completely recovered 
may,' by exercising due care, avoid recurrence. 
Meats of all sorts should be discarded; also tea 
and coffee. In other words, a thoroughly antitoxic 
dietary must be adopted. Thorough mastication 
of the food is essential, as first pointed out by 
Dujardin-Beaumetz nearly twenty years ago. 
Gall-stones are a protective measure, the purpose 
of their formation being to enclose the offending 
germs. Germs are always found in the center of 
gall-stones. 

Water drinking is an excellent means of com- 
bating gall-stones. Four or five pints of water 
should be taken daily. The best time for taking 
water is half an hour before meals, and be- 



348 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

tween meals, beginning two hours after eating. 
No harm is done by taking small quantities of 
water with meals, half a glassful to a glassful, 
provided: care is taken to avoid drinking to 
wash down imperfectly masticated food. Great 
care must be taken to keep the bowels active. 
The bowels should move three or four times 
a day. A movement after each meal is the 
natural order. 

In most cases of gall-stones, the gall bladder 
itself is diseased. Formerly it was the custom to 
remove the gall-stones and drain the gall bladder. 
Experience has shown, however, that sooner or 
later the gall-stones reappear or pain from chronic 
inflammation of the gall-bladder so that another 
operation is required. On this account, it is 
generally considered best to remove the gall 
bladder with the gall-stones. The operation is 
not a hazardous one when done by an experi- 
enced surgeon. In many cases in which pain and 
other distresses are attributed to the stomach, the 
real fault is in the gall bladder and disappears 
when this organ is removed. 



Digestive Disorders 

Gastric Acid 

Q. What amount of gastric acid is pro- 
duced daily? 

A. The amount of gastric acid formed in the 
stomach varies with the habitual diet. If a per- 
son who usually takes a small amount of meat, 
takes a large meal of meat, the stomach will not 
be able to secrete enough acid to combine with 
all the protein. If the diet is persisted in, how- 
ever, after a while the stomach will adapt itself 
to the diet and produce more hydrochloric acid. 
On the other hand, if an athlete who is accus- 
tomed to eat a large amount of meat, eats a meal 
containing very little protein, the amount of acid 
secreted will be greatly in excess. 

If the meat-fed athlete changes his diet to a 
low protein standard, after a time the secretion 
of hydrochloric acid will gradually fall to the 
normal amount. 

The total secretion of hydrochloric acid for a 
day may vary from one-half ounce to two ounces, 
varying with the diet, as above indicated. In- 
testinal toxemia causes an excess of acid. In 
achylia no acid is formed. 



350 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Rest and Disinfection of the Stomach 

Q. Does the stomach require rest? 

A. The stomach, like every other organ of 
the body, requires rest. The heart takes a rest 
after each beat. The total time spent in rest by 
the heart is in fact greater than the working 
time. The stomach works continually while 
carrying on the work of digestion. Its glands 
work, forming digestive fluids ; its muscles work, 
mixing the food with the digestive fluids, and 
the muscles of the stomach pass the partially 
digested food along to be further acted upon in 
the intestine. Rest is found to be especially 
necessary to give the stomach an opportunity to 
disinfect its mucous surface. The hydrochloric 
acid found in the gastric juice is an excellent 
disinfectant. When combined with the food, its 
power to destroy germs is lost altogether. After 
the stomach is empty, at the completion of the 
digestion of a meal, the cleansing, disinfective 
action of the gastric juice becomes efficient. In 
the feeding of children, as well as adults, the 
stomach must remain empty for one hour be- 
tween feedings, so as to allow it to become prop- 
erly cleansed and ready for the next meal. The 
fasting stomach contains two-thirds of an ounce 
to an ounce of acid gastric juice. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 351 

Bile in the Stomach 

Q. What is the cause of bile in the stom- 
ach? 

A. It is possible that bile and other secretions 
pass into the stomach much more frequently 
than is generally supposed. In dogs, the pass- 
age of bile into the stomach occurs very fre- 
quently, especially when they are fed large 
quantities of fat. When the stomach produces 
an excess of acid, bile sometimes enters the 
stomach to neutralize the excess of acid. When 
the stomach is empty, the pylorus is often open; 
thus bile is permitted to pass into the stomach. 

Ulcers of the Stomach 

Q. Are ulcers of the stomach and duodenum 
curable ? 

A. That ulcers of the stomach and duodenum 
are curable is clearly shown by the fact that 
scars left by healed ulcers are often found in 
the stomach and duodenum after death. Numer- 
ous cases are on record also in which patients 
who have suffered from severe gastric ulcer have 
recovered permanently. Without doubt the ma- 
jority of cases are curable by the application of 
proper means. In general the measures which 
are of essential service are the following: 



352 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

1. The patient must rest in bed or in a hori- 
zontal position from one to three weeks. 

2. All food should be withdrawn for two or 
three days, sometimes even longer when severe 
hemorrhages have occurred. 

3. If the secretion of acid continues although 
food is not given as shown by pain or other 
symptoms indicative of the presence of acid, car- 
bonate of soda should be given in sufficient 
quantity to neutralize the acid. When the acid 
is completely neutralized, the pain will usually 
cease. 

4. After two or three days of abstinence small 
quantities of bland food are given. The amount 
of food is increased from day to day and as the 
quantity is increased the interval between feed- 
ings is lengthened. 

5. Olive oil and perfectly fresh sterilized and 
unsalted butter are used in as large quantities 
as the patient is capable to bear as a means of 
preventing the formation of gastric acid. 

6. Salt is excluded from the dietary. 

7. Liquids are taken only in very small 
quantities, a few sips at a time. When a tumbler- 
ful or more of water is taken, the effect is to 
cause the stomach to pour out a quantity of acid, 
hence large quantities of liquids must be avoided. 

8. Care must be taken to move the bowels 
three times a day. Bowel movements may be 



A THOUSAND, QUESTIONS ANSWERED 353 

encouraged by the use of paraffin oil ar#d agar- 
agar. Later sterilized bran may be used instead 
of agar-agar. 

9. A fomentation over the abdomen three 
times a day followed by a cold mitten friction is 
a measure of great value in promoting the com- 
fort of the patient. 

10. The ill effects of confinement in bed may 
be counteracted by massage. It is also import- 
ant to keep the patient in the open air as large a 
portion of the twenty-four hours as it is possible 
to do. 

Gastro-enterostomy 

Q. What is the operation known as gastro- 
enterostomy? 

A. In this operation a loop of the intestine is 
attached to the stomach and an opening made be- 
tween the stomach and the intestine so that food 
can pass from the stomach into the small intes- 
tine without passing through the pylorus or 
duodenum. This operation is rarely indicated ex- 
cept in cases in which the plyorus has become 
obstructed by an ulcer, cancerous growth, or 
some other cause. The operation is sometimes 
performed for relief in cases of ulcer of the 
duodenum. 



354 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Aohylia 

Q. What is achylia? 

A. Achylia denotes a condition in which the 
stomach glands have ceased to produce gastric 
juice. 

The gastric acid is necessary for the digestion 
of connective tissue and gluten. Gastric acid also 
regulates the closing and opening of the pylorus. 
When absent, the pylorus remains open and the 
food passes out of the stomach quickly. This is 
the explanation of those cases of diarrhoea in 
which food is passed undigested soon after it is 
eaten, often within an hour or two. 

Achylia is usually the result of long continued 
over-stimulation of the stomach. It is most com- 
mon in persons who have made free use of tea 
or coffee, condiments, or alcoholic beverages, or 
who have been large meat eaters. Achylia fol- 
lows chronic gastritis. 

There are two forms of achylia: 

(a) Achylia of nervous origin in which the ad- 
ministration of hydrochloric acid in large quant- 
ities is followed by a secretion of pepsin. 

(b) Achylia accompanying organic disease of 
the stomach, cancer and atrophic gastritis in 
which the giving of hydrochloric acid is not 
followed by the secretion of pepsin for the rea- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 355 

son that the secreting glands have been de- 
stroyed. This fact may often be of use in diag- 
nosis. 

In cases in which the motor functions of the 
stomach are preserved, and bacterial action in 
the stomach is suppressed, life may be main- 
tained through intestinal digestion if the diet is 
carefully regulated. 

Remedy for Achylia 

Q. What remedy would you suggest for 
the condition known as achylia? 

A. This is an exceedingly important question. 
The number of persons suffering from achylia, 
a condition in which the stomach makes no gastric 
acid and often no pepsin, is becoming increasingly 
common. This condition often precedes cancer 
of the stomach, the occurrence of which is rapidly 
growing in frequency. A person suffering from 
achylia is much more likely to suffer from typhoid 
fever, cholera, and other infectious disorders of 
the alimentary canal than a person whose stom- 
ach provides the normal supply of acid gastric 
juice, for the reason that the acid of the gastric 
juice owes its acidity to hydrochloric acid, a 
substance possessed of very active disinfectant 
or germicidal properties. 

There are three important things which persons 
suffering from achylia may do to obviate the 
several dangers that are mentioned above. These 



356 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

are, first, to adopt a strict anti-toxic diet, which 
means to exclude flesh foods of all kinds, in- 
cluding fish, fowl and shell-fish. In many cases 
it is necessary to exclude eggs from the bill-of- 
fare, while in not a few instances milk, if taken 
at all, must he used sparingly. The more ex- 
clusively the bill-of-fare is made up of foods de- 
rived from the vegetable kingdom the better. 
Foods capable of undergoing putrefaction should 
be discarded. Milk, if used at all must be taken 
as buttermilk. Fats must be eaten sparingly, and 
only in sufficient quantity to meet the actual needs 
of the body. 

The amount of hydrochloric acid required is 
considerable, much more than the amount ordi- 
narily taken. The amount of acid formed by 
the stomach daily is the equivalent of about one 
teaspoonful of ordinary hydrochloric acid, or 
muriatic acid. To take this amount of acid in 
its ordinary form, or to dilute it with water, is 
practically impossible, on account of its intense 
acid and corrosive character. It has been dis- 
covered that the acid may be made to enter into 
a loose combination with protein so that it may 
be swallowed into the stomach in any quantity de- 
sired without injuring the teeth or throat. In 
the stomach the loose combination is broken up, 
and the acid becomes active and promotes the 
functions for which it is required. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 357 

Such a preparation, known as acidone, has been 
employed for a number of years and with great 
profit to those who have used it. Acidone is a 
powder, a compound of hydrochloric acid with 
the gluten of wheat. A dessert-spoonful is taken 
mixed with the food, or with porridge at the be- 
ginning of each meal. 

Persons whose gastric glands are degenerated 

so that achylia has become a fixed condition 

• should make use of acidone, or some similar 

preparation, at every meal, and should continue 

to do so indefinitely. 

The Functions of Hydrochloric Acid 

Q. Of what use is hydrochloric acid in the 
stomach ? 

A. Hydrochloric acid serves a great variety 
of useful purposes in the process of digestion. 
Laboratory experiments have shown that the acid 
of the stomach, — 

1. Converts the protein into peptone. 

2. Stimulates the secretion of the gastric fer- 
ments. 

3. Activates the gastric ferments. 

4. Opens the pylorus. 

5. Closes the pylorus, after entering the 
duodenum. 

6. Disinfects the stomach. 



358 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

7. Aids the development of secretin which 
stimulates the activity of the pancreas and the 
liver. 

8. Stimulates the flow of bile. 

In the absence of hydrochloric acid, pepsinogen 
is formed and may be activated by the organic 
acids produced by bacteria or by the acid salts 
of the food. 

9. Activates the pancreatic juice. 

The various organic acids activate pepsin, but 
hydrochloric acid is superior to all the others as 
a zymo-excitor. The reason for this is not un- 
derstood. 

Heaviness of the Stomach 

Q. What is the best means of relieving 
heaviness in the stomach? 

A. Persons who suffer from heaviness after 
eating should lie down and rest for three- 
quarters of an hour or an hour after eating. It is 
a good plan to place a hot water bag over the 
stomach and to practice deep breathing. 

Abnormal Appetite 

Q. What is the meaning of a craving to 
eat abnormally at meal time and between 
meals? 

A . An abnormal condition of the sympa- 
thetic nervous system controlling the stomach. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 359 

If care is taken to thoroughly masticate the 
food, this difficulty will probably disappear. 

Use of Stomach Tube 

Q. How frequently can the stomach tube 
be used without injury? 

A. In some cases the stomach tube may be 
used daily or even oftener, but in general 
the frequent use of the stomach tube should 
be avoided, if possible. If necessary to use the 
tube daily for a short time, say a week or 
two, the intervals should be greatly increased, 
until finally discontinued. 

Hypopepsia 

Q. What is the cause of hypopepsia? 

A. Failure of the stomach to make gastric 
juice may result from an impoverished state of 
the blood and depreciation of the general bodily 
forces ; or it may be the result of inflammation, 
or of cancer or some other form of degeneration. 
Hyperacidity in which there is an excessive 
secretion of gastric juice, is generally followed 
in time by hypopepsia, or apepsia through ex- 
haustion of the gastric glands. An overworked 
organ is almost certain to undergo degeneration 
sooner or later. 



360 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Sour Stomach 

Q. Is soda a good thing to take for sour 
stomach? 

A. It is better to take the soda than to have 
the sour stomach, but the continuous use of soda 
is damaging. The cause of the sour stomach 
should be found and removed. Constipation and 
intestinal toxemia are practically always present 
in cases of this sort and are probably the leading 
causes. 

The Pancreas 

Q. What is the function of the pancreas? 

A. The pancreas is a gland, the most com- 
plicated gland in the body ; in fact it is a sort of 
double gland. It has two separate and distinct 
structures which are closely interwoven. One of 
these produces an internal secretion which aids 
the muscles in burning up sugar which furnishes 
energy for work and to maintain the body tem- 
perature. This is the so-called internal secretion 
of the pancreas. The pancreas also has an ex- 
ternal secretion, pancreatic juice, which contains 
six ferments, various important activators, and 
alkali in the form of bicarbonates. 

The alkaline secretion of the pancreas is re- 
ciprocal to the acid secretion of the stomach. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 361 

The Pancreatic Juice 

Q. By what means may the pancreatic 
secretion be increased? 

A. An increase of acids in the food, increases 
the quantity of the pancreatic secretion. 

Fats are a very positive stimulant of the 
secretion. 

The quality of the pancreatic juice is also 
influenced by the food. On this account persons 
suffering from achylia should make free use of 
acid fruits. 

Peristalsis 

Q. What is peristalsis? 

A. By peristalsis is meant the movements 
of the intestines by which the food is moved 
along and reduced, and wastes discharged from 
the body. 

Gastric Juice 

Q. How is the gastric juice produced? 

A. Gastric juice is a special fluid produced by 
certain glands of the stomach. 

Each food generates its own gastric juice. 
Pawlow has shown that each natural food con- 
tains subtle elements which act upon the nerves 
with which they come in contact in such a way 



362 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

as to cause the digestive glands to secrete fluids 
exactly adapted to the digestion of the particular 
food in question. This action is due in part to 
the flavoring substances of food, and in part to 
little-known substances that are known as pepto- 
gens. 

The gastric juice produced by different food 
substances varies greatly in both quality and 
quantity. Milk produces the least active digestive 
fluid. 

Meat produces a strongly acid digestive 
fluid. Bread produces during a long period a 
moderately acid but highly active gastric 
juice. 

Represented numerically, the digestive value 
of the juice produced by the substances named, 
according to Pawlow, stands as follows: milk, 
11 ;meat, 16; bread, 44. 

Gastric Examination 

Q. How can one determine whether he has 
an excess of hydrochloric acid or a deficiency? 

A. The presence of an excess or deficiency 
of hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice can be 
determined only by taking a test meal and hav- 
ing an analysis made by a competent chemist. 
In general, however, it may be said that acidity 
occurring within two or three hours after a meal 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 363 

is the result of an excess of acid in the gastric 
juice and not of fermentation. 

Hyperacidity 

Q. What are the causes of excessive acidity 
of the stomach? 

A. The immediate cause of excessive acidity 
of the stomach is generally an excessive for- 
mation of hydrochloric acid. There may be sev- 
eral causes for this. Probably the most common 
cause is an inactive state of the bowels, or chronic 
autointoxication. Poisons formed in the intestine 
and absorbed, being excreted into the stomach, 
over-excite the gastric glands. Another cause is 
hasty eating, in consequence of which food is re- 
tained for too long a time in the stomach, giving 
rise to excessive irritation of the mucous mem- 
brane. 

The free use of meat is perhaps the most im- 
portant of all the causes which can be mentioned. 

The soluble substances of the meat, which give 
to it its peculiar flavor, are most powerful stim- 
ulants of the gastric glands. Pawlow showed 
that the gastric juice produced by eating meat 
is much more acid than that produced by bread, 
milk and other food substances. Copious drink- 
ing at meals and the use of condiments may also 
give rise to acidity. 



364 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Diet in Hyperacidity 

Q. Please outline a diet that will remedy 
this condition. 

A. Both liquid foods and dry foods should be 
avoided. Everything should be taken in the form 
of a puree. The food should be chewed very 
little. Chewing stimulates the stomach and pro- 
duces an excessive amount of appetite juice 
which is highly acid. Wholesome fats, such as 
sterilized butter, cream and vegetable fats should 
be freely used. One or two teaspoonfuls of 
olive oil should be taken just before each meal. 
The administration of liberal quantities of pure 
gluten one or two hours after eating is an ex- 
cellent remedy. The gluten absorbs the acid as 
effectively as does soda, and has this advantage, 
that it does not in any way injure the stomach. 
The bowels should be made to act three or four 
times a day, but laxatives must be avoided, as 
these irritate the stomach and the small intestine. 

Movements of the Stomach 

Q. What are the movements of the stom- 
ach? 

A. The cardiac portion of the stomach is not 
subject to regular movements during digestion. 
It remains quiescent, a fact which permits of the 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 365 

orderly stratification of the foodstuffs, the last 
portions eaten entering the center of the glob- 
ular mass which is formed in the cul-de-sac. 
Peptic digestion goes on at the surface of the 
mass, while the salivary digestion proceeds in 
the center and may continue for two or three 
hours from the beginning of the meal. As fast 
as the food is liqueneo) at the center of the ali- 
mentary mass it goes through the pylorus where 
it is mixed with the pyloric secretion containing 
pepsin, which begins its work in the stomach and 
continues in the intestine. 

The movements of the stomach are not confined 
to the pylorus. Infrequent rhythmical move- 
ments occur in the pre-pyloric portion, but the 
pyloric portion contracts regularly every ten 
seconds during digestion, making 2500 to 3000 
contractions during the digestion of a meal. The 
pyloric movements begin as soon as the liquefied 
portions of the food reach this part of the stom- 
ach. If peptone is introduced into the stomach, 
the pylorus movements begin immediately. In- 
troduction of meat into the stomach induces no 
movement. Fear and anger arrest instantly the 
movements of the stomach when in full activity. 

When the stomach is empty, rhythmical move- 
ments occur every two hours, lasting twenty to 
thirty minutes. These movements start in the 
stomach and extend to the entire intestine and 



366 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

are accompanied by a slight secretion of gastric 
juice, bile, pancreatic and intestinal juices. These 
movements are absent during digestion and dis- 
appear during long fasts. The stomach is con- 
trolled both by the sympathetic and pneumogas- 
tric nerves. In the sympathetic nerves the in- 
hibitory fibers predominate; in the pneumogas- 
tric nerves the excito-motpr nerves predominate, 
although the inhibitory nerves are present. In 
fasting the excito-motor influence of the pneumo- 
gastric diminishes rapidly and disappears wholly 
at the end of three days, so that the stomach is 
wholly under the influence of the inhibitory 
functions of the sympathetic and pneumogastric 
nerves. This probably accounts for the fact 
that at the end of the first three days fasting 
persons experience much less inconvenience than 
before this time, also for the intestinal inac- 
tivity which is present when fasting. 

There are various measures by which the gas- 
tric movements may be excited to increased ac- 
tivity. Water at a temperature of 100° to 102° 
F. stimulates the action of the stomach. This 
is probably the reason that water at this temper- 
ature encourages vomiting. Water at a higher 
or lower temperature lessens gastric activity. 
Water at a temperature of 41° F. arrests all 
movements of the stomach and prevents the ac- 
tion of other stimulants. This is clearly a good 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 367 

reason for prohibiting the use of iced drinks 
and frozen foods of all sorts. Faradic currents 
cause contraction of the gastric walls. More 
efficient contractions are secured by a slowly al- 
ternating sinusoidal current. Gastric contrac- 
tions are also produced by the galvanic current 
but these contractions occur only at the opening 
and closing of the circuit. 

The most active excitant of the movements of 
the stomach are the products of gastric digestion. 
Peptones, hydrochloric acid in solution, 1 to 5 
parts in 1000, excite no movements of the fundus 
of the stomach while exciting the movements of 
the pylorus. Sometimes anti-peristaltic move- 
ments are set up by extreme acidity, which ex- 
plains the eructation of acids. 

According to Battelli, strychnia is entirely 
without effect upon the motility of the stomach. 
In view of this fact, it is surprising that this 
drug should be so extensively used as a gastric 
stimulant, since it exercises a most unfavorable 
influence upon secretion while rendering no ser- 
vice. 

An ice bag placed at the epigastrium causes 
gastric contractions. Lavage is also an ex- 
cellent means of stimulating gastric contractions, 
in cases of gastric inactivity. Insufficiency of the 
cardiac orifice gives rise to regurgitation of food- 



368 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

stuffs and merycism. Pyloric insufficiency allows 
a reflux of bile into the stomach. Vomiting of 
bile only takes place when the reflux is inter- 
mittent. Continuous insufficiency of the pylorus 
gives rise to diarrhea very soon after eating. 

Pain in the Stomach 

Q. What is the best method of securing 
relief from acute pain in the stomach? 

A. Apply hot fomentations over the seat of 
pain. A large drink of hot water will frequently 
stop the pain at once. Cramp in the stomach 
may usually be relieved in the same way. Pain 
in the stomach may often be relieved by a general 
hot bath when other measures fail. The temper- 
ature of the water should be increased after the 
patient enters the bath, as hot as can be borne, 
say 110° or 112° F. 

In many cases it is well to drink a couple of 
glasses of hot water. The temperature of the 
water should be as hot as can be swallowed with- 
out inconvenience. 

Regurgitation of Food 

Q. What causes the regurgitation of food? 

A. Regurgitation of food is in most cases 
probably due to permanent or temporary ob- 
struction of the outlet of the stomach. The 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 369 

pylorus may be permanently obstructed by can- 
cer or other growth, or it may be temporarily ob- 
structed by contraction. The last named con- 
dition is the most frequent cause of regurgita- 
tion. 

When the outlet of the stomach is obstructed 
by some organic change, such as ulcer, cancer 
or compression by bands due to inflammation, 
relief may be obtained by operation. Spasm of 
the pylorus is most frequently produced by hy- 
peracidity, which may generally be relieved by 
regulation of the diet. The foods should be soft, 
not in a liquid state; that is, in the form of pu- 
rees. The food should be swallowed after slight 
mastication only, and one or two tablespoonfuls 
of olive oil should be taken at each meal. Care 
should be taken to have the bowels move three 
or four times a day. 

The bile and pancreatic juice, alkaline fluids, 
normally regurgitate into the stomach and neu- 
tralize the gastric acid, reducing the acidity from 
five parts to three parts of hydrochloric acid in 
one thousand parts of gastric juice. 



The Thyroid Gland 

The Thyroid Gland as a Remedy 

Q. In what cases is the use of dried thyroid 
gland indicated? 

A. Persons whose thyroid glands are inac- 
tive — the condition of so-called hypothyroidism, 
are benefited by the use of dried thyroid gland. 
(Sheep's thyroid). There are numerous indi- 
cations of this condition, among which are dry- 
ness of the skin, pigmentation and atrophy of the 
skin, and falling of the hair with other symp- 
toms. It is important, however, to note that when 
taking dried thyroid a thoroughly anti-toxic diet 
must be adopted, that is, meats must be entirely 
discarded, while milk should be taken only in the 
form of buttermilk, and in some cases even but- 
termilk must be avoided. Eggs must also be 
omitted from the dietary. Fresh vegetables and 
especially uncooked fruits and vegetables should 
be freely used. Tonic baths, an outdoor life and 
free water drinking are other measures important 
in such a case. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 371 

Functions of the Thyroid Gland 

Q. What are the functions of the thyroid 
gland. 

A. The thyroid gland is a so-called antitoxic 
gland. This is, its duty is to supply a 
secretion which aids in the destruction of poisons, 
especially the poisons which are absorbed from 
the intestines. The thyroid gland also regulates 
the functions of the skin and has a very important 
relation to nutrition in general. Mental develop- 
ment and growth appear to be influenced in a 
very important way by it. When this gland is 
deficient in children, cretinism appears. 

Measures for Stimulating the Thyroid Gland 

Q. How can the thyroid gland be stim- 
ulated? 

A. By cold baths, massage of the thyroid 
gland, applications of electricity and local light 
baths of chief importance, however, in the adop- 
tion of a diet which will tax the thyroid as little 
as possible. This requires a strict anti-toxic diet 
and highly laxative diet. The bowels should be 
made to move fully three or four times a day. 



Tuberculosis 

Rules for Tuberculosis Patients 

Q. What rules should be followed by a per- 
son suffering from tuberculosis? 

A. The following rules were formulated by a 
health official, who has many consumptives under 
his care. 

The tuberculous patient must consider his own 
welfare as well as the welfare of those about 
him. 

He should be in the fresh air as much as 
possible night and day. 

He should be cheerful, look on the bright side 
of life. 

He should eat only nourishing food. 

He should avoid style, dress to suit the changes 
in the weather, always carry an overcoat and two 
or three handkerchiefs. 

He should keep his nose, mouth and hands 
clean and free from infection. 

He should take at least nine hours of sleep at 
night, and if possible a nap in the afternoon. 

He should not mingle in large crowds of peo- 
ple or be where there is dust or smoke. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 373 

He should not take tobacco or alcohol in any 
form. 

He should not cough needlessly!, but bnly 
when he feels he must expectorate. 

He should not work when feeling ill. 

He should never swallow his sputum, as it 
may cause tuberculosis of the bowels. 

He should not spit anywhere except in ves- 
sels for that purpose or in paper napkins, which 
should always be burned. 

He should not cough or sneeze without cover- 
ing mouth and nose with handkerchief. 

He should not kiss any person. 

Bovine Tuberculosis 

Q. Is bovine tuberculosis dangerous for 
human beings? 

A. It was discovered some years ago that 
tuberculosis germs from which cows suffer differ 
slightly from the human variety. It was at first 
supposed that on this account human beings 
would not be likely to contract disease from cat- 
tle, but it is now known that this is an error. 

Hess, a New York investigator, found among 
eighteen children fed on cow's milk five suffer- 
ing from tuberculosis. Behring has demon- 
strated that among young children in cities 



374 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

twenty-four out of twenty-five are infected 
from tuberculosis in some form. Other ob- 
servers have found as high as twenty-five per 
cent of cases of tuberculosis in children due to 
bovine infection. It is estimated by Rosenberg 
that not less than 500 children die every year 
from bovine tuberculosis in New York City 
alone. 

Investigations made in Washington, Rochester 
and New Haven have shown the presence of 
tuberculosis germs in milk to the extent of 
twenty per cent of all specimens obtained. The 
Health Department of Boston found that twenty 
to twenty-five per cent of the animals furnishing 
milk to the city were infected with the germs of 
tuberculosis. 

Of five thousand cows that are brought to 
the city abattoirs for slaughter every year, fully 
one thousand were found to be so badly diseased 
as to be unfit for food/ yet these same cows a 
short time before they were turned over to the 
butcher were supplying milk to the city of Boston 
and surrounding towns. 

It has been demonstrated that tubercle germs 
are not only found in milk but survive in butter 
and cheese. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 375 

The Curability of Tuberculosis 

Q. Can tuberculosis be cured? 

A. Yes. Within the last fifty years wonder- 
ful progress has been made in the treatment of 
cases of tuberculosis. It is now known that 
even where the disease is fairly well ad- 
vanced a practical cure may be accomplished 
in the majority of cases. 

In sanatoria where the best methods are em- 
ployed, the proportion of recoveries is reported 
to be about sixty per cent. It should be said in 
this connection, however, that only hopeful cases 
are received. Advanced cases are not accepted 
for treatment. 

It is of the highest importance that in every 
existing case of tuberculosis measures should be 
taken for the protection of other members of the 
family who are not yet infected and to give the 
infected person every possible chance for re- 
covery. In the writer's opinion advanced cases 
of tuberculosis and all so-called cases of open 
tuberculosis, that is, cases in which the sputum 
contains tubercle germs, should be placed under 
quarantine the same as persons suffering from 
leprosy and other infectious diseases. When 
the necessary isolation can be secured in the 
patient's own home this may be done but other- 



376 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

wise the patient should be placed in a hospital 
where the necessary care may be received. 

It is quite impossible, however, to deal with 
this great plague by the hospital plan alone. 
Each year one hundred and fifty thousand people 
die of this disease. For each one that dies there 
are, according to our best authorities, eight liv- 
ing persons suffering from the same malady; 
hence there are to be found in the United States 
not less than one million two hundred thousand 
persons suffering from tuberculosis, or more than 
one per cent of the entire population. It is im- 
possible to gather all these persons into hos- 
pitals; they must be dealt with in their own 
homes. In every case in which a person suffer- 
ing from tuberculosis is found in a family, the 
entire family should be taken under care and 
treatment. When a father or mother is infected 
by the disease most of the other members of the 
family are likely to be infected by the disease 
and will sooner or later show characteristic 
symptoms. 

Early Diagnosis of Tuberculosis 

Q. How may tuberculosis be known at the 
outset? 

A. Since consumption is so difficult of cure 
in its advanced stages it is important to know 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 377 

if there is any means by which the disease may 
be discovered in its incipiency. The physical 
diagnosis has been so far perfected that it is now 
possible for well trained experts to discover the 
very beginnings of tubercular disease even in 
the absence of cough, emaciation and other 
prominent symptoms which characterize the 
more advanced stages of this grave malady. Such 
experts are, however, comparatively few in num- 
ber, but the recent advances in the methods of 
x-ray examinations have made it possible for a 
good roentgenologist to discover the earliest be- 
ginnings of the disease and also to discover evi- 
dences of old diseased processes which have 
passed through their various stages and finally 
healed. 

Symptoms of Tuberculosis 

Q. What are the ordinary symptoms of 
tuberculosis which a patient may himself ob- 
serve ? 

A. Among the first symptoms are loss of 
flesh, loss of strength, a feeling of lassitude, a 
slight fever in the afternoon or evening, often 
perspiration at night and slight cough ; later, ex- 
pectoration and perhaps a hemorrhage from the 



378 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

lungs. If the disease is sufficiently advanced ex- 
amination of the sputum by a bacteriologist 
shows the presence of tubercule germs. One 
should never wait until germs can be found in 
the sputum as this symptom indicates that the 
disease is so far advanced that ulceration or 
breaking down of the lungs has begun. 



Catarrh, Colds, Deafness 

Catarrh in the Head 

Q. Is nasal catarrh curable? 

A. Nasal catarrh is usually curable, but the 
cure is by no means an easy or simple matter. 
There is no such thing as a successful ''catarrh 
remedy." The numerous advertised nostrums 
are all mere "catch-penny" schemes, and some 
are positively harmful. 

In the majority of cases there are conditions 
in the nose which require the special attention of 
an expert. Bones become thickened, mucous 
surfaces are swollen, and drainage passages be- 
come obstructed, retaining infectious material. 
The cavities of the facial bones connected with 
the nasal cavity become infected, thus maintain- 
ing a condition of chronic infection. 

In every case of chronic nasal catarrh a com- 
petent nose specialist should be consulted. 
The wonderful advances made in the treatment 
of disorders of the nose within the last quarter 
of a century make it possible now to effect a 
cure in practically every case of chronic catarrh 



380 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

in which the disease has not existed so long as to 
cause extensive destruction of the mucous mem- 
brane or other structures of the nose. 

Talking through the Nose 

Q. How can the habit of "talking through 
the nose" be overcome? 

A. Of course, no one talks through the nose. 
The peculiar style of talking to which this term 
has been applied, is due to obstruction of the 
nostrils, so that it is really talking without the 
nose instead of through the nose. It is not merely 
a habit ; it is generally due to disease. The rem- 
edy is to be found in removing the obstruction 
from the nose. The obstruction may consist of 
polypi or other growths, or a mere thickening 
of the mucous membrane. A good specialist 
should be consulted. 

Adenoids 

Q. What are adenoids and should they be 
removed? 

A. Adenoids are growths which form in the 
upper part of the pharynx and at the back part 
of the nasal cavity. They are likely to produce 
serious injury by obstruction of the nostrils and 
may lead to deafness, to deformity of the jaws, 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 381 

an abnormal expression of the face, and may 
even produce mental and nervous disturbances 
of a serious character. 

Adenoids are usually considered an indication 
of mal-nutrition. They are doubtless the result 
of the attacks of bacteria upon the mucous mem- 
brane and a state of low resistance. 

Adenoids should be removed as soon as dis- 
covered. They always do more or less harm and 
can do no possible good. The operation is a 
simple one ; it is nothing more than scraping off 
the diseased mucous membrane with a suitable 
instrument. The operation should be done by 
a specialist in disorders of the nose or throat. 

The presence of adenoids is evidence of a de- 
pressed vital state (low resistance) and hence 
attention must be given to building up the gen- 
eral health of the child by proper diet, daily out- 
of-door exercise, sleeping in out-of-door air 
and correct diet. The open air school room is 
essential for such children. Meats should be dis- 
caided from the dietary along with condiments 
of all sorts. Instead of the popular breakfast 
foods, feed the child oatmeal, (steel-cut oats) 
cooked six to eight minutes only and add to the 
oatmeal one-third its bulk of cooked wheat bran. 
Have the child eat a large dessert spoonful of 
cooked bran at every meal together with fruits 



382 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

and vegetables which should constitute the chief 
part of the diet. Greens of all kinds are espe- 
cially beneficial. Care should be taken to see that 
the bowels move well three or four times a day. 
The tongue must be kept clean and the breath 
sweet. Use paraffin if necessary to keep the bowels 
active; two or three teaspoonfuls of paraffin oil 
at each meal or better half a paraffin tablet. An 
emulsion of paraffin oil, "Paralax" is an agree- 
able form to which children seldom object. 

Buzzing or Ringing in the Ears 

Q. What causes buzzing in the ears and 
what will cure it? 

A. Buzzing or ringing in the ears is a very 
common symptom associated with nasal catarrh 
and most generally indicated that the disease is 
extending up the Eustachian tubes into the mid- 
dle ear. An ear specialist should be consulted. 
If neglected, deafness may result. Ringing in 
the ears is sometimes present in anemia and in 
cases of neurasthenia. 

Nose Discharge 

Q. What causes a discharge from the nose? 

A. Infection with pus-forming bacteria. 
When an offensive discharge is persistent, there 
is generally infection of some of the cavities or 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 383 

sinuses connected with the nasal cavity. A nose 
specialist should be consulted. Avoid advertis- 
ing quacks. 

Mucus in Nose and Throat 

Q. What is the best way to prevent the 
formation of the mucus that accumulates in 
the back part of the nose and drops into the 
throat? 

A. Thorough treatment by a specialist will 
effect a cure. There is no simple remedy for 
this condition. One of the best home remedies 
is the inhalation of steam. 

Causes of Deafness 

Q. What are the causes of deafness? 

A. In ninety-five per cent of all cases the 
cause of deafness is catarrh which begins in the 
throat and nose, and which has been neglected 
until it extended up into the ears. Enlarged ton- 
sils, snoring, sleeping with the mouth open, are 
indications of the presence of catarrh. 

The Nasal Douche 

Q. Is the nasal douche a good remedy for 
nasal catarrh? 

A. The nasal douche is no longer recom- 
mended. It frequently does mischief by carry- 
ing the infectious discharges of the nose into 



384 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

the ears and other cavities, and so doing great 
harm. As a matter of fact, it is not necessary in 
any case. An atomizer giving a strong, coarse 
spray is useful in some cases in which there is 
a profuse nasal discharge, and especially in those 
cases in which dry scabs form in the nose. A 
solution consisting of one teaspoonful of com- 
mon salt and a teaspoonful of soda in a pint of 
distilled water is excellent as a nasal cleansing 
agent when used with an atomizer giving a 
strong, coarse spray. Use twice daily. 

Nasal Discharge 

Q. What are the yellow plugs blown from 
the nose, and what can one do to get rid of 
them? 

A. These masses consist of dried or partly 
dried mucous containing great numbers of white 
blood cells and countless numbers of pus-pro- 
ducing bacteria. The crusts which are formed 
in the nose should be loosened and thoroughly 
removed twice daily by the application of a solu- 
tion made by adding to a pint of water, one 
dram each of common salt, bicarbonate of soda 
and boracic acid. An atomizer giving a strong 
spray should be used, so that the nasal cavity 
may be thoroughly flooded, and the application 
should be continued until the passages are quite 
free. Then an antiseptic solution should be ap- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 385 

plied. A solution consisting of ten grains of eu- 
calyptol to one ounce of petroleum oil or albo- 
lene is very useful for the purpose. If pos- 
sible, consult a good nose specialist, as there may 
be some narrowing of the nasal passages which 
requires the attention of a specialist. 

Catarrh is Contagious 

Q. Is catarrh contagious, and if so how? 

A. Yes ; and the fingers are a common means 
of infecting the nose. It is surprising how often 
the fingers visit the nose and mouth. This is 
especially true of children and even adults who 
have missed proper training in this particular. 
The fingers are often moistened with saliva 
for various purposes. If the saliva were 
green or blue, the fingers would constantly show 
evidence of being soiled with this secretion. By 
this means one may infect things and persons 
with his saliva and may in turn infect his own 
mouth with germs from many sources. As Doc- 
tor Chapin has pointed out : "The cook spreads 
his saliva on the muffins and rolls, the waitress 
infects the glasses and spoons, the moistened fin- 
gers of the peddler arrange his fruit, the milk- 
man's thumb is in his measure, the reader moist- 
ens the pages of his book, the conductor, his 
transfer tickets, the lady, the fingers of her glove. 
Every one is busily engaged in this distribution 



386 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

of saliva, so that the end of each day finds this 
secretion freely distributed on the doors, win- 
dow sills, furniture and playthings in the home, 
the straps of trolley cars, the rails and counters 
and desks of shops and public buildings, and in- 
deed upon everything that the hands of man 
touch." The saliva is always infectious. 

Best Climate for Catarrh 

Q. What is the best place in the United 
States for a person afflicted with catarrh ? 

A. The best state is the place where you hap- 
pen to be. Any place is all right. The climate 
is all right. The trouble is with you. Catarrh 
is an infection. It is true that climates that 
are very changeable are a little more difficult for 
a person with catarrh infection than one that is 
more equable. But, at the same time, the more 
equable climate is depressing when it is warm 
and produces a low state of vital resistance. 

Dry Catarrh 

Q. Is dry catarrh curable? 

A. So-called dry catarrh is a condition in 
which the secreting glands of the mucous mem- 
brane of the nose have degenerated and in part 
disappeared, the result of long continued in- 
flammation and infection. There are two kinds 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 387 

of these glands, those that secrete serum, and 
those that form mucus. The serous glands dis- 
appear first. The result is that the thick mucus 
secretion accumulates and forms dry hard mas- 
ses which decompose and cause erosions of the 
mucous membrane and finally ulcerations and 
after some years even serious destruction of the 
nose. This condition is accompanied by a very 
bad odor of the breath, and often bleeding at 
the nose. There is an uncomfortable dryness 
of the nasal passages and of the throat due to 
the enlarged space resulting from atrophy of 
the mucous membrane. 

The complete cure of this condition is of 
course not possible, but much can be done to re- 
lieve its inconveniences. By daily cleansing 
and disinfection of the nose, the fetor of the 
breath may be largely removed. By application 
of a spray of vaseline, the sense of dryness may 
be relieved. It is sometimes wise to introduce 
into the widened nasal passages plugs of cot- 
ton to diminish the size of the inlet. Every 
case of this sort should be placed, for a time at 
least, under the care of a good nose specialist. 

A notable fact about nasal catarrh is that the 
disease is confined to house dwellers. Wild peo- 
ple, who live in the open, do not suffer from nasal 
catarrh. The same is true of civilized men and 
women who live in the open air. Explorers and 
soldiers in the field suffer little or not at all from 



388 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

colds and catarrh. These are house diseases like 
pulmonary tuberculosis. 

Many years ago the writer visited the tribe of 
Yuma Indians living about the old Fort Yuma 
who at that time lived in their original primitive 
simplicity. The men wore the G-string and the 
women little bark aprons. The children were 
wholly nude. Catarrh was unknown. Some of 
the children had been gathered into a school 
and were clothed. These all suffered from 
catarrh. On inquiry, it was learned that the 
Indian parents attributed the catarrh to the wear- 
ing of clothes. 

Coryza- — Acute Nasal Catarrh 

Q. What is the best treatment for one who 
on taking cold suffers for a day or two with 
excessive running of watery mucus from the 
nose? 

A. Coryza, or cold in the head, is one of 
the most common of all affections. It is due to 
an infection of the mucous membrane of the nasal 
cavity. Colds are catching, like diphtheria and 
small-pox. The treatment consists of rest, diet- 
etic regulation, and training of the skin. A 
vapor bath, sitz bath, short hot tub bath, fomen- 
tations to the forehead and face give relief. This 
treatment should be taken at night just before 
retiring. If taken in the daytime the patient 



A THOUr. vND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 389 

should not go outdoors or expose himself to 
drafts for some hours afterward. 

The inhalation of steam with an electric vapor 
thermophore is the best means of combating 
the local pain and inflammation. 

The susceptibility to cold is best relieved by 
a course of treatment to harden the skin. The 
most efficient measure is the frequent use of 
cooling baths, such as a cool spray, cool sponge 
bath, or cold mitten friction. A cold bath is 
best taken immediately on rising in the morning. 
The popular idea that a cold is a matter of small 
consequence and needs little attention, as the pa- 
tient will recover without treatment, is an er- 
roneous one. Colds, when left to themselves, 
nearly always leave the affected parts in a more 
or less diseased condition. Out-of-door life and 
open-air sleeping are the best preventives 
against cold. Persons whose bowels move three 
times a day seldom take cold because they have 
high resistance. 

Golds 

Q. What should one do for a cold when 
first beginning? 

A. Take a hot bath at night; a sweating bath 
followed by a cold bath. Then go to bed and 
drink water. If it is very mportant to get over 
the cold as quickly as possible stay in bed and 



390 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

drink water; take no food whatever, but drink, 
drink, drink — a glassful of water every half hour 
and you will rinse the cold out. Keep the room 
warmed and well ventilated. 

Another way to cure a cold is to take no bath 
at all or a short very cold bath, drink plenty of 
water, go out of doors and stay there until the 
cold is cured. If one lives out-of-doors entirely 
he will get rid of the cold in the cold air, be- 
cause the breathing of fresh cold air increases 
his body resistance. It goes without saying that 
the patient must keep warm during the out- 
door treatment, either by vigorous exercise or by 
being properly protected with wraps and 
blankets. 

Gold in the Head 

Q. What will relieve cough and cold in 
the head of an infant? 

A. Apply a cold wet hand rub daily. Keep 
the child out of doors constantly. Expose the 
skin to the sun and air for a half hour, two or 
three times a day. Apply to the nose the follow- 
ing solution with an atomizer : Menthol, 20 grs. ; 
camphor, 10 grs. ; thymol, 2 grs. ; alboline, 4 ozs. 

Every cold in the head or acute nasal catarrh 
should be treated promptly and thoroughly. When 
neglected, a cold is likely to become chronic, a 
condition of nasal catarrh. Nasal polypi obstruc- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 391 

tions, deafness and painful affections of the cav- 
ities in the facial bones are natural consequences 
of neglected colds. 

Loss of Voice 

Q. Please indicate the cause of the loss of 
the voice. 

A. The loss of the voice may be due to an 
inflammation of the mucous membrane of the 
larynx or to an infection of the nerves control- 
ling the laryngeal muscles. A loss of voice is 
sometimes due to hysteria. In such cases the 
voice may be suddenly recovered at any time. 

Loss of voice is sometimes the result of in- 
fection of the larynx with tuberculosis. Either 
one or both of the vocal cords may be af- 
fected. 

Syphilis is another common cause of loss of 
the voice. 

Cancer and tumors of various sorts may de- 
velop in the larynx so as to cause loss of power 
to make vocal sounds. 

In cases in which it has become necessary to 
remove the larynx by a surgical operation, it has 
been found possible to restore the power of vocal 
speech by means of the insertion of a tube con- 
taning an organ reed. The voice produced in this 
way is of course a monotone. 



392 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Clergyman's Sore Throat 

Q. What is the cause of the pharynx be- 
coming dry, accompanied by a weak and 
easily tired voice, followed by hoarseness? 

A. This condition is probably due to chronic 
pharyngitis. Acute and chronic catarrh of the 
pharynx are among the most common of all the 
forms of catarrhal disease. What is known as 
"clergyman's sore throat" is a variety of pharyn- 
geal catarrh. Undoubtedly bad dietetic habits are 
an important factor in the production of this 
condition. 

The use of mustard, pepper, peppersauce, 
ginger, vinegar, and various other condiments, 
and the excessive use of salt, sugar, fats, and ani- 
mal food must be set down among the predispos- 
ing causes. The disease is especially common in 
persons of sedentary habits. An out-of-door life, 
"The simple life" in all respects is a pretty certain 
preventive of this disease and a good measure of 
treatment. 

The Tonsils 

Q. Of what use are the tonsils and should 
they be removed? 

A. The tonsils are lymphatic glands. Their 
function is to protect the body against the great 
number of microbes which collect in the mouth. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 393 

They are also connected with the functions which 
promote the growth and development of the 
body. 

Diseased tonsils are a constant menace to the 
body, proving an open door for the entrance of 
harmful organisms. Tuberculosis germs and 
other disease-producing bacteria often find their 
way into the body through the open portal pro- 
vided by diseased tonsils. The tonsils harbor 
disease germs, such as pneumonia and diptheria, 
also the germ of influenza or la grippe. These 
germs are lying there ready to develop whenever 
the vital resistance is lowered by cold, exhaus- 
tion, indigestion, or any other depressing cause. 
Diseased tonsils are often a cause of rheumatism 
and probably other serious maladies. 

Tonsils which frequently become raw or in- 
flamed or which are constantly enlarged with 
pockets full of pus should be promptly removed. 
The question is often asked, Will not removal 
of the tonsils change the voice or spoil the sing- 
ing or speaking voice ? The operation will change 
the voice. It will improve it. The tonsil should 
not be removed unless so badly diseased that it 
has ceased to be of any value to the body and 
has become a source of injury. 



394 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED * 

Inflammed Tonsils and Rheumatism 

Q. Will inflammation of the tonsils lead to 
rheumatism ? 

A. Murray in 1901 found in the mucous cov- 
ering the tonsil streptococci, which, when in- 
jected caused inflammation of the joints and the 
valves of the heart. 

Recent studies have shown that chronic in- 
flammation of the tonsils is very frequently the 
cause of rheumatism and one that should be 
looked for in persons suffering from acute rheu- 
matic troubles. 

Chronic Laryngitis 

Q. Is chronic catarrh of the larynx curable? 

A. In most cases this disease may be cured, 
even when of long standing, except in cases in 
which the inflammation is due to tubercular in- 
fection. Many of these cases are also curable 
if taken in time. A skilled specialist must be 
consulted. 

Sore Throat 

Q. What is a good remedy for sore throat? 

A. There are many remedies for sore throat, 
seme of which are harmless, being simply worth- 
less, — like goose-oil applied externally, — while 
others are quite mjurious. The best remedy is 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 395 

hot water. It should be applied outside and in- 
side ; outside by means of fomentations for fifteen 
minutes or half an hour twice a day; inside by 
a gargle of hot water, as hot as can be borne, 
every fifteen minutes or half hour until relieved. 
Drink plenty of hot water, so as to get into a 
profuse perspiration. If there is fever, cool the 
skin with sponge-baths. Keep the feet warm. If 
the symptoms are severe, apply ice in a bag to 
the outside of the neck, and give the patient little 
pieces of ice to swallow. A few hours of this 
treatment will effect a cure in simple cases. 

The inhaling of steam is a most efficient means 
of relieving pain and combating inflammation in 
cases of acute inflammation of the throat. 



The Teeth 

Dentifrice 

Q. What is the best dentifrice? 

A. No dentifrice is really needed but water. 
Brush the teeth after each meal with pure water 
and see the dentist twice a year. That is all the 
attention the teeth need if one adheres to a sim- 
ple, natural bill-of-fare. 

Teeth Decay 

Q. What is the significance of dental decay? 

A. The significance of dental caries, which 
is coming to be well-nigh universal among the 
people of the United States, is little appreciated. 
Premature decay of the teeth indicates feeble- 
ness of constitution in the individual, and when 
this condition becomes so general as to be a race 
characteristic, it is a handwriting on the wall; 
pointing unmistakably to race extinction. 

Dentists may repair the teeth mechanically, 
but they cannot mend the weak constitution to 
which the decay is due. Strong bodies (and 
teeth) are made by excluding flesh meats, condi- 
ments, sloppy foods, cane sugar, and indigestibles 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 397 

by daily outdoor exercise, the daily cold bath, 
and other methods of health culture. 

Early decay of the teeth means a short life 
and an increasing low vital resistance. There 
must be a rigid self-examination, the result of 
which should be a putting away of every practice 
which tends to weaken the vitality, and the cul- 
tivation of health by every known means. 

Care of Teeth 

Q. Is the tooth brush essential to the care of 
the teeth? 

A. It is important to keep the mouth clean, 
but whether the toothbrush is essential or even 
beneficial for this purpose is still a question. 
There are eminent authorities who condemn the 
toothbrush, first, because the bristles tear the 
gums and drive the particles of decomposing food 
into the narrow spaces between the teeth. Sec- 
ond, the toothbrush itself after being used a 
few times, becomes thoroughly infected and 
there seems to be no very simple and efficient 
method of disinfecting it. Certainly ordinary 
rinsing is not sufficient. The average tooth- 
brush is in a very filthy state. Dr. Head, an 
eminent dental authority has called the attention 
of the profession to the filthy condition of the 
toothbrush as it is ordinarily used. Prof. Miller, 
another dental authority, has shown that the 



398 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

brushing action of the bristles upon the sur- 
faces of the teeth, produces an injurious effect 
and causes wasting about the necks of the teeth. 
Prof. Hutchinson reports the results of research 
workers who have investigated the question of 
the toothbrush and their conclusion is that it is 
a dangerous instrument. The truth seems to be 
that the eating of fruit, especially at the close 
of a meal, is the best method of cleaning the 
teeth. Chewing a stalk of celery, an apple, or 
fresh pineapple are very efficient methods of 
cleansing the teeth. For polishing the teeth, per- 
haps the best means that can be employed is 
the fore finger moistened and then dipped into 
some good tooth powder or dentifrice. The 
spaces between the teeth should be cleaned by 
floss silk. A bit of rubber may be used instead 
of the fore finger. The toothbrush is, of course, 
convenient and it will probably continue in use 
notwithstanding the recently disclosed facts con- 
cerning its disadvantages. 

Bridge Work 

Q. Is not bridge work unsanitary, since the 
food works under it? 

A. Of course, a person who has bridge work 
in his mouth must take very particular care to 
avoid harboring unsanitary conditions in his 
mouth. However, when sufficient pains are taken 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 399 

to cleanse the mouth, there is no reason why it 
may not be kept in a wholesome state. Bridge 
work is of great value by permitting more 
thorough mastication. 

Wisdom Teeth 

0. I am twenty-four years of age, but have 
no wisdom teeth. 

A. The third molars are disappearing. This 
is one of the evidences of general race decay. 
There is probably no room in your jaw for the 
teeth to develop. 1 low ever, it is possible that the 
wisdom teeth may appear quite late in life. 

Do Sweets Injure Teeth 

Q. Are sweet substances injurious to the 
teeth, even though the teeth are cleansed im- 
mediately afterward? 

A. Xo. The injurious effects of sugar upon 
the teeth are the result of indigestion. When 
sugar is largely used, the system is deprived of 
lime, and so all the bony structures of the body 
are damaged. 

Pyorrhea 

Q, What is the cause and the proper treat- 

n cnt of pyorrhea? 

Modern bacteriological and clinical studies 
■ shown that pyorrhea, or ulceration of the 



400 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

gums, is a diseased condition of much greater 
significance than was formerly supposed. This 
disease, if not checked, not only leads to loss of 
the teeth, but still worse effects are produced in 
other parts of the body than the mouth. The 
germs and germ poisons developed are likely to 
find their way into remote parts of the body and 
give rise to such grave conditions as disease of 
the joints, which may lead even to serious de- 
formities manifested in various forms of rheu- 
matic disease, neuritis, and possibly even diseases 
of the heart and blood vessels. 

The disease starts with a mechanical injury of 
the gums, due sometimes perhaps to improper 
use of the tooth brush. It is kept up by pus- 
forming bacteria, and as it works deeper into the 
tissues the bony sockets of the teeth become dis- 
eased. 

The virulent micro-organisms that are found 
in the pus secreted by the ulcerated areas 
are swallowed into the stomach and may give 
rise to diseased conditions of the stomach and in- 
testines. In view of these facts it is evident that 
pyorrhea, whenever it is found present, should be 
promptly and vigorously combated. Efficient 
remedies are now available. In severe cases the 
teeth must be pulled, but in mild cases the gums 
may be cured by proper local treatment combined 
with proper regulation of the diet and building up 
the general health. 






A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 401 

In all cases meats should be discarded. The 
bowels should be made to move three or four 
times a day so as to rid the body of toxins. The 
cure is greatly facilitated by the use of so-called 
endogenous vaccines, prepared from cultures 
made from the pus taken from the diseased areas. 
Every person suffering from chronic headache, 
autointoxication, neuritis, rheumatism, or high 
blood pressure, should have the mouth carefully 
examined by a thoroughly competent dentist, and 
if pyorrhea is found should use measures for the 
cure of the disease immediately. The mouth is 
the gateway through which most enemies of the 
body find entrance to the citadel of life. It must 
be carefully guarded. Every person should have 
the mouth and teeth thoroughly examined by a 
competent dentist at least once a year. 

Teeth of East Indians 

Q. Is it true that the Hindu people have re- 
markably sound teeth? 

A. Dr. Egbert, who has made a careful study 
of the teeth of the natives of India, in an article 
in the British Journal of Dental Science, states 
that although he has examined the teeth of hun- 
dreds of Hindu natives, he has never found a 
single case of malformation, and that the teeth 
of the Hindu people are remarkably free from 
decay. They rarely lose their teeth from 



402 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

caries. He attributed this remarkable immunity 
from a disease which is coming to be almost 
universal among Americans and English people, 
in part to the cleanly habits of the Hindus, who 
carefully cleanse their teeth with a primitive but 
efficient brush every day, in obedience to the laws 
of their religion. 

He also calls attention to another and still 
more important factor, the absence of flesh food 
from the dietary of the Hindu. 

Organic Lime and Dental Decay 

Q. Why is organic lime essential for pre- 
venting decay of the teeth? 

A. The enamel of the teeth, which protects 
these bony structures, is composed of lime. When 
the enamel is broken the less resistant structures 
beneath are exposed to toxic bacteria. The nor- 
mal saliva contains a sufficient amount of lime 
to protect the teeth from the attacks of acids. 
Professor Rickert, of the Dental Department of 
the University of Michigan, has shown by labor- 
atory experiments that decay of the teeth is ac- 
companied by a diminution in the lime content of 
the saliva. It has also been observed in England 
that decay of the teeth has increased just in pro- 
portion to the increased use of fine flour bread 
which is lacking in lime. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 403 

How to Combat Decay of the Teeth 

What are the most important means of 
protecting the teeth from decay? 

A. It is evident that the rapid advance of 
the American people toward a toothless con- 
dition can never he stopped by the tooth brush 
alone. The tooth brush is important and un- 
questionably aids in checking the progress of the 
decay, but it is still more important to recognize 
and. so far as possible, eliminate the causes of 
dental decay. This requires: 

1. Improvement in resistance to disease by im- 
proving the general health in every possible way, 
so improving the quality of the blood and its 
p"\ver to resist the attacks of disease germs and 
to give to the fluids the various bodily secretions 
necessary. s« zins and alaxins, to exercise this pro- 
tective influence. 

2. A dietary rich in calcium so as to be sure of 
a highly calcium content of the saliva. Such a 
diet must include an abundance of greens and 

i vegetables. Whole i;rain cereals should be 

substituted for such deficient foodstuffs as fine 

flour, hominy, corn meal, polished rice and vari- 

bakery products as breakfast foods prepared 

from these raw materials. 

Milk should be freely used, especially by grow- 
ing children. A pint of milk contains from eleven 



404 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

to sixteen grains of lime, whereas a pound of 
white bread contains but one grain of lime or 
even less. 

3. The teeth should be cleansed not only on 
arising in the morning and before retiring at 
night but particularly after each meal. 

4. The colon must be kept in a normal condi- 
tion, which requires three or four bowel move- 
ments daily. This requires the free use of laxa- 
tive foodstuffs and, if necessary, bran or agar- 
agar and paraffin oil in some form. The unclean 
condition of the mouth, indicated by a coated 
tongue and foul breath, which results from in- 
testinal stasis or defective bowel action is a con- 
dition most conducive to dental decay. 



Remedies 

Sulphur 

0. Is the use of sulphur valuable as a means 
of purifying the blood? 

A. No. The blood cannot be purified by 
taking drugs of any sort. The only way to 
purify the blood is by out door life, correct diet 
and care to secure frequent and thorough eva- 
cuations of the bowels. 

The Salt Glow 

Q. What is the value of the salt glow? 

A. The salt glow is an admirable means of 
producing circulatory reaction without thermic 
reaction if the temperature employed is not very 
much below that of the surface of the body. The 
salt acts as a chemical irritant to the skin, in ad- 
dition to the mechanical stimulus produced by 
the rubbing of the sharp crystals in contact with 
the surface of the body. 

The salt glow produces to an intense degree 
the circulatory stimulation of the brine bath, the 
sea-water bath, the effervescing bath, and the 
saline sponge. By moistening the salt with ice- 
cold water, it is possible, however, when desir- 



406 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

able, to produce most powerful thermic effects in 
addition to the circulatory reaction produced by 
the chemical effect of the salt and the friction. 
It is also a tonic measure of high value, and 
also produces valuable derivative effects; it is 
especially valuable in feeble patients whose heat- 
making powers are small, and in whom thermic 
reaction does not readily occur, or, if it does, the 
cold bath exhausts the patient and produces loss 
of heat. The salt glow is valuable in cases in 
which the skin is very inactive, a condition com- 
monly found present in chronic indigestion. It 
may be usefully employed in cases of Bright's 
disease and in diabetes, conditions demanding in- 
crease of skin activity, but contraindicating the 
cold bath. 

Massage 

Q. Does massage increase metabolism? 

A. According to Zuntz the belief that mas- 
sage stimulates metabolism has no real scientific 
foundation. Breathing is not materially in- 
creased as a result of massage and the con- 
sumption of oxygen is not increased more than 
ten or fifteen per cent which is no more than 
would result from slight finger movements. It 
is evident then that massage, either manual or 
mechanical, can have very little effect in break- 
ing down tissue in obesity. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 407 

Infected Wound 

Q. What is the best treatment for an in- 
fected wound? 

A. A freshly infected wound should never 
be closed up. The only safety is in keeping the 
wound open and keeping up active drainage. 
Painting the wound with tincture of iodine, or 
with a solution of iodine consisting of one part 
of tincture of iodine and three parts of alcohol, 
will destroy most of the germs which lie upon 
the surface. If some time must elapse before the 
wound can be dressed, the parts should be im- 
mersed in a salt solution prepared by adding two 
ounces of salt to a gallon of boiled water. The 
effect of the salt solution is to produce an out- 
flow of serum and blood cells from the wound 
which will exercise the most salutary effect in 
preventing the growth of bacteria and in pro- 
moting a healing process. Badly infected wounds 
which cannot be closed should be kept continually 
immersed in a salt water bath. If the part in- 
jured is so located that immersing is incon- 
venient, compresses of cheesecloth saturated with 
salt solution should be kept constantly applied to 
the parts. The compresses should be changed 
before they become dry. 



408 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Sick Room Disinfection 

Q. What is the best method of disinfecting 
a sick room? 

A. The sick room may be fumigated by the 
use of formalin. 

In recent years less stress is laid upon the im- 
portance of fumigation by sanitary authorities. 
It is now believed that thorough ventilation of the 
sick room together with thorough scrubbing of 
the floors and walls with soap and water are 
practically the only measures necessary. 

A room which has been long occupied by a 
person suffering from chronic disease, or by a 
fever patient, or a case of smallpox or other 
contagious disease, ought to be very thoroughly 
cleansed before being occupied by others. The 
means by which this may be most efficiently done 
are these: 

1. Take out the windows, and give the great- 
est possible freedom to ventilation. 

2. Remove the old paper from the walls, and 
burn it. Wash the bare walls with a solution 
of copperas, and then apply whitewash to the 
ceiling. 

Cleanse the woodwork with a solution of 
chloride of lime, one pound to the gallon. 

3. Remove the carpet from the floor, the bed- 
ding from the bed, and every other fabric from 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 409 

the room, and thoroughly di them before 

:ing. 

Massage or Osteopathy 

In what way does massage differ from 
osteopathy? 

A. athy claims more and does less 

than massage. 

Radium 

What is radium? 

A, Radium is a hcaw metal derived from the 
rare metal uranium, h in the dark and 

throws off rays of vari as sorts which produce 

erful effects upon all living things. The 
called "gamma" rays of radium are believed to 
be similar in nature to light rays, although in- 
visible, moving with a vel th< usand 
times greater. Radium also throws off minute 
particles which have "an a i more than 
Six thousand million times that of the swiftest 
rifle bullet."' 

This rarest of metals is possessed of most ex- 
traordinary properties. It- activity reat 
that it may be well that it exists in very small 
William Rai that 
the amount of radium in the whole world is not 
<) pounds. Fortunately it is widely 
red. 



410 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

ML Currie, one of the discoverers of radium, 
declared that he would not be willing to venture 
into a room which contained a pound of radium. 

Radium is useful as a means of curing cancer 
of the skin. It is capable of rendering service in 
other forms of disease. It must be used by an 
expert. 

Mechanotherapy 

Q. What is mechanotherapy? 

A. Certain forms of passive exercise may be 
administered by machinery far more effectively 
than by the hand. This is particularly true of 
vibratory exercise. The rapid, steady, and pro- 
longed vibratory movements which can be ad- 
ministered by machinery can not be even ap- 
proximated in efficiency by the human hand. Cer- 
tain kneading and percussion movements may 
be administered more effectively by mechanical 
means than by the manual method. Mechanical 
vibration, kneading and shaking movements, are 
the most effective forms of mechanotherapy. 

Diathermy 

Q. What is diathermy? 

A. This is a new method of applying elec- 
tricity in which the electrical current is converted 
into heat within the body. None of the ordi- 
nary effects of electricity are experienced; that 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 41 1 

is. there is no electrical sensation, no muscular 
contraction ; the only sensation is that of warmth. 
By proper arrangement of the electrodes the heat 
may be concentrated in any part of the body. 
This invention renders it possible to apply heat 
to internal parts heretofore inaccessible. 

This method has been found of very great 
advantage as a means of stimulating the activity 
of the liver, kidneys and other internal glands 
when inactive. It has also proved of great ser- 
vice in cases of dilatation of the heart. A di- 
lated heart has been seen by means of the X-ray 
to contract under its influence. It is of great 
service in cases of arteriosclerosis, especially in 
cases in which the disease affects the vessels of 
the abdomen, the most common form of arterial 
degeneration. 

Diathermy is highly useful in neuralgia of all 
forms, in migraine and other forms of head- 
ache ; also in sciatica, neuritis and muscular 
rheumatism. It absorbs gouty deposits by raising 
the temperature of the blood and so rendering 
the uric acid deposits soluble. It is altogether 
one of the most useful additions which have been 
made to physiotherapy in recent years. 



412 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The Electrocardiograph 

Q. What is the electrocardiograph? 

A. This is one of the most remarkable and 
interesting instruments for diagnosis which has 
appeared in recent times. Its value is based 
upon the fact that the heart in its action gives 
rise to electrical currents. By means of the 
electrocardiograph these delicate currents may 
be recorded in such a manner as to produce 
curves the form of which indicates whether the 
heart is in a condition of health or not, and if it 
is diseased, the nature and location of the dis- 
order. There are certain obscure heart troubles 
the nature of which can be determined only by 
means of the electrocardiograph. 

High Frequency Current 

Q. What is the high frequency current and 
is it a useful method of treatment? 

A. The so-called high frequency electrical 
current is an alternating current similiar to that 
which is used in the so-called wireless elec- 
tricity. It has been employed in the treatment 
of certain morbid growths with a measure of 
success. 

This method employs electrical currents which 
were first discovered by Tesla but were first used 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 413 

in application to the human bod) by d'Arsonval. 
Properly applied, this current produces powerful 
effects in relieving pain, lowering blood-pressure, 
and in favorably influenecing tbe various vital 

functions. 

Phototherapy 

Q. What is meant by phototherapy? 

A. The wonderful influence of the sunlight 
as a curative agent has been appreciated from 
the most ancient times. The Greeks and Romans 
provided most excellent arrangements for "in- 
solation"' or sun bathing in connection with their 
great public baths as well as in the palaces of 
the rich. Sick animals show preference for 
the sun. 

The discovery of the electric light, veritable 
resuscitated sunlight, has placed in our hands 
the means by which the powerful healing agent 
which permeates the body with its healing rays 
may be utilized at all seasons of the year. The 
arc light is called into service with special fre- 
quency in the cold months when the outdoor 
gymnasiums arc not in use. 

The electric light bath possesses all the virtues 
of the Turkish bath with none of its dangers and 
inconveniences, and adds the marvelous virtues 
of light. The luminous heat rays do not stop 
at the skin as does ordinary heat, but permeate 
the soft parts of the body in every direction, 



414 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

searching out painful and sluggish parts and im- 
parting their powerful vital stimulus. Its value 
in the treatment of chronic maladies of all sorts 
can scarcely be over-estimated. Its superior 
efficiency as well as its luxurious attractiveness 
are well attested by the fact that it has been 
more extensively copied and imitated than any 
other invention of the sort. The electric light 
bath is without doubt the most important im- 
provement in bath appliances that has been 
made in modern times. 

Medicine Chest 

Q. What can you suggest to take the place 
of the old-fashioned family medicine chest? 

A. It is important that every home should 
have a sort of first-aid outfit. The following 
is a list of first essentials : 

Clinical or fever thermometer. 

Bath thermometer. 

Ice bag. 

Hot water bags (one large, oval, one long 
bag). 

Enema outfit. 

Fomentation cloths. 

Cheese cloth, mackintosh and flannel for com- 
presses and packs. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 415 

Two Turkish towels. 

Roll of adhesive plaster. 

Sterilized absorbent cotton. 

Sterilized gauze, one package. 

Three or more rolls of bandages (varying 
width). 

Medicine dropper. 

Atomizer. 

A package each of bicarbonate of soda and 
boracic acid. 

A bottle of some bland sweet oil. 

Tube of vaseline. 

Two white enamelware bowls. 

Camphor ice. 

Castile soap. 

A good pair of scissors. 

Hand and nail brushes. 

Other useful articles may be included, but 
with this as a beginning one is fairly equipped 
for ordinary emergencies. 

Hot Baths 

Q. What is meant by a hot bath? How 
hot should it be? 

A. By the term "hot bath" we usually 
mean an ordinary full bath given at a temper- 
ature of 98° to 104° F. The bath should last 
from two to three minutes. It must never be 



416 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

very greatly prolonged, because baths above the 
body temperature cause a rapid accumulation of 
heat and a rise of temperature. In the ad- 
ministration of the bath at a temperature con- 
siderably above that of the body, the beginning 
temperature should be 100° F., the temperature 
being gradually raised, by the addition of hot wa- 
ter, to the maximum desired. By this means 
the skin becomes gradually accustomed to the 
elevated temperature, and a much higher 
temperature will be tolerated than ii the patient 
enters the bath at the maximum temperature. 

Care should be taken that the water is not 
too hot. To prevent this one should have at 
hand a hath thermometer. Where this is not 
obtainable do not rely upon placing the hand 
in the water as a test, for the hand becomes, by 
usage, so obtuse to heat that water which would 
seem only warm to it would be painfully hot to 
the body of the patient. To avoid this source 
of error, it is only necessary to plunge the arm 
to the elbow into the water, by which means 
the real temperature will be determined. Wa- 
ter which causes redness of the skin is hot ; when 
it feels simply comfortable, with no special sen- 
sation of either heat or cold, it is warm. Slightly 
cooler than this is tepid. When it causes the 
appearance of goose-flesh, it may for practical 
purposes be called cool, a still lower degree be- 
ing cold. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 417 

Bath Temperatures 

Q. What temperatures are indicated by the 
terms cold, hot, tepid, etc.? 

A. The following table gives} the temper- 
atures indicated by the various terms in com- 
mon use: 

Very cold 32° to 55° F. 

Cold 55° to 65° F. 

Cool 65° to 80° F. 

Tepid 80° to 92° F. 

Warm (neutral, 92° to 95°)... 92° to 98° F. 

Hot 98° to 104° F. 

Very hot 104° and above 

The Daily Bath 

Q. Is the daily bath essential to health? 

A. For sedentary people, yes. Persons who 
live active lives, especially wild tribes which live 
in the state of nature and wear little clothing do 
not need the benefits of the daily bath. 

The daily cold bath and frequent warm baths 
compensate to some degree for the lack of ex- 
ercise and out-of-door life. The daily bath is 
not prevalent among the laboring classes, yet the 
active out-of-door life led by persons of these 
classes gives them greater longevity than the 
so-called better class, notwithstanding their dirty 
skins. 



418 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Bath Rules 

Q. What are the best bathing rules? 

A. 1. A cold bath should never be taken when 
one is tired or exhausted. 

2. Applications toward which there is an in- 
stinctive dread should, in general, be avoided. 
The bodily instincts generally crave things that 
are good for the body, and repel things likely to 
do harm. 

3. General cold applications should never be 
made when the skin is cold, when a sensation 
of chilliness is present, when the hands and 
feet are cold, or when the head is hot. In such 
cases the skin must be warmed by a warm bath, 
such as the electric light bath, or the hands and 
feet should be heated by placing in water, and 
the head cooled by the application of a towel 
wrung out of cold water (not ice-water). The 
cold bath must also be avoided when the body 
is much fatigued or overheated. In such a case, 
a very short hot bath should be taken, followed 
by a neutral bath (92° to 96° F.) 

Gold Air Bath 

Q. Will a cold air bath serve the same pur- 
pose as a cold water bath? 

A. For some persons the cold air bath is 
preferable to the cold water bath, as it leaves the 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 419 

skin dry. The reaction produced is ordinarily 
less than from cold water, but the effect may be 
increased by prolonging the application and ac- 
companying the air bath by vigorous rubbing of 
the skin with a towel or with the hands, or 
both. 

The duration of the bath must depend upon 
the temperature of the air, the susceptibility of 
the patient, and the degree of activity accom- 
panying the air bath. Most persons may readily 
become accustomed to exposures of from five to 
ten minutes. Vigorous muscular activity should 
be maintained during the exposure, and the 
whole surface of the body should be vigorously 
rubbed, so as to promote reaction. The appear- 
ance of slight chilliness is an indication that 
the bath should be terminated at once. A very 
good plan is to take the air bath immediately 
on rising in the morning. If one sleeps in a 
cold room, as he should do, on getting out of 
bed in the morning the covers should be re- 
placed so as to retain the warmth of the bed. 
It is a good plan after the bath to return to 
bed for a few moments before dressing, so as to 
encourage complete reaction. The bath in this 
way may be repeated two or three times in 
succession. This is a good plan for those who 
are not accustomed to the air bath, and who can- 
not endure exposure to the cold air more than 
two minutes at a time. 



420 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

One of the most agreeable forms of the cold 
bath is the swimming bath when this is available. 
A very good substitute is the "exercise bath," an 
imitation bath in the surf which is taken in a 
bath tub by means of a simple appliance. (See 
page 438.) 

Gold Water Shampoo 

Q. Does frequent washing of the head in 
cold water tend to cause baldness? 
A. No, the very opposite. 

Hydrotherapy 

Q. What is hydrotherapy? 

A. Hydrotherapy is the rational or scientific 
use of water. It differs from the old fashioned 
"water cure," still in vogue at mineral spring 
resorts and many similar places, in that the 
methods employed are based upon a careful 
study of the physiologic effects of the several 
procedures, so that their value and effects are 
known with certainty. "Water cure" meth- 
ods have done an untold amount of good, but 
they have also done harm, and should now be dis- 
placed by the more exact and hence safer meth- 
ods of hydrotherapy. 

There are three distinct classes of procedures 
in hydrotherapy which may be simply termed 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 421 

I 1 i the douche method. (2) the immersion 
method and (3) the wet cloth method; to which 
may he added the combined method. 

The douche method comprises the various 
forms of jets, showers, "pours," etc., in which 
water in motion is employed. 

The immersion method comprises all sorts 
of procedures in which the body or a part of it is 
immersed in water. The ''wet-cloth" method 
(an awkward but appropriate name) comprises 
all sorts of packs, compresses, fomentations, and 
frictii ns in which wet or moistened cloths are 
employed. 

As commonly employed, scientific hydrothe- 
rapy is associated with various applications of 
light and heat, massage, exercise and other 
kindred measures. 

When scientifically applied, water is unques- 
tionably the most potent of all agents for com- 
bating disease. Water has been in use by the 
human race as a remedy from prehistoric times. 
It is employed by the most primitive tribes. It 
is even used by animals who seem to be led by 
instinct to resort for relief to this wonderful 
agent which comes nearer than any other to 
being a veritable universal panacea. 



422 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Hydrotherapy in Tuberculosis 

Q. Is hydrotherapy beneficial in tuber- 
culosis? 

A. Hydrotherapy is not only a powerful ally 
of the open-air treatment of pulmonary tuber- 
culosis, acting as an adjunct to exercise, sun- 
light, cold or cool air, proper diet, and other 
hygienic conditions and physiological measures, 
hut it is actually indispensable in a large number 
of cases in which the patient is so feeble, either 
from loss of blood or reduction of strength or 
some other cause, that the advantages of the 
open-air method are only in a small part avail- 
able. 

In these cases hydriatic measures properly 
adapted to individual cases serve as a substitute 
for cold air and exercise, and have the advantage 
over both these measures in the fact that they 
are capable of absolute regulation and graduation, 
awakening within the system the same reactions, 
more or less ample and intense, as may be de- 
sired, and thus serving as a means by which 
the patient may be lifted from a state of utter 
helplessness by daily increments of energy until 
he becomes capable of utilizing with advantage 
more vigorous measures. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 423 

Morning Gold Bath 

0. Which is better to take after a bath — 
a cold mitten friction or an alcohol rub, or 
may one use both to good advantage? 

A. A warm bath should always be followed 
by some cooling measure, such as a cold pail 
pour, a cold mitten friction, a cold towel fric- 
tion, or an alcohol ruh, depending upon the 
strength of the patient. For a person in ordi- 
nary health, of fairly robust constitution, the 
cold full immersion bath may be advantageously 
employed as a measure of hygienic routine. If 
the cold immersion bath is employed, fill the 
tub sufficiently full of water to allow complete 
and instantaneous immersion of the entire body 
except the head. Immerse as quickly as possible 
after cooling the head. The duration of the 
bath must be very brief, not more than five to 
ten seconds. Rub the surface of the body vig- 
orously while in the bath, and after emerging 
rub with coarse towels until the body is warm 
and dry. Exercise till reaction is complete, as 
evidenced by a sensation of warmth and well- 
being. The best time for the bath is im- 
mediately on rising in the morning, while warm 
and feeling a relish for the contact of cold wa- 
ter. Used thus the cold bath is a powerful 
means of promoting vital resistance and main- 
taining the integrity of the body. If this meas- 



424 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

ure seems too severe, a cold towel rub may be 
employed. The cold mitten friction is still less 
vigorous. 

Gold Mitten Friction 

Q. What is a cold mitten friction, and how 
is it given? 

A. The surface is rubbed with a hand covered 
by a mitt made of a fabric having a firm, close 
texture somewhat resembling haircloth, such as 
is used by the Turkish bath shampooers at Cairo 
and Constantinople. The hand covered with this 
mitt is dipped in water at 60° to 40° F. 
every few seconds while the surface is being 
rubbed. Each separate part, as an arm, a leg, 
the chest, the abdomen, the back, is rubbed until 
red, then dried before proceeding to another 
part. 

The Heating Compress 

Q. How is the "heating compress" given? 

A. Wring a cloth out of cold water and apply 
to the affected part. Cover with mackintosh 
and then with several thicknesses of flannel. 
The moist cloth will quickly become warm, and 
will retain the heat for a long time. It acts as a 
poultice, and is fully as effective as a poultice 
((besides being much cleaner) in deep-seated 
spinal pains, in pains due to indigestion, chronic 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 425 

catarrh of the bowels, and constipation. A heat- 
ing compress applied to the abdomen will often 
relieve congestion of the head and so induce 
sleep. 

The Ice Bag 

Q. When should the ice bag or ice compress 
be used? 

A. The ice bag is so useful that it should 
be found in every home. It should be filled with 
ice broken into small bits, preferably not larger 
than a lima bean. It should be filled about two- 
thirds full so that it will easily adapt itself to 
the parts to which it is applied. 

Here are some of the most important uses of 
the ice bag: 

Placed upon the throat or at the pit of the 
stomach it relieves vomiting. An ice bag back 
of the neck is an excellent remedy for sea sick- 
ness. In a case of acute inflammation, either 
internally or externally, one or two ice bags may 
be applied. Heat should be applied to the feet 
and legs to prevent chilling. An acute attack of 
appendicitis may often be avoided by an appli- 
cation of a couple of ice bags to the lower right 
side of the abdomen and over the appendix. The 
ice bags should be removed every hour and a 
hot fomentation should be apgj.ied to the feet 
and legs continuously. In pneumonia two or 



426 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

three ice bags should be applied over the af- 
fected lung during the first day or two. Every 
thirty minutes the ice bag should be removed 
for forty-five minutes. A good plan is to make 
a short hot application in the interval. An ice 
bag applied over the heart is an excellent heart 
tonic. 

When the pulse is weak and rapid one or two 
ice bags applied over the heart will generally slow 
and strengthen the pulse. Care must be taken to 
avoid chilling by applying heat or extra wraps to 
the rest of the body. 

Several ice bags on an ice cap should be ap- 
plied to the head in cases of cerebral congestion. 
Ice bags may be applied to neck in such cases with 
excellent effect. 

The Fomentation 

A. What is a fomentation and how should 
it be applied? 

A. A fomentation is a moist hot application. 
It may be applied in various ways. The im- 
portant points are (1) to make the application as 
hot as can be borne without burning the skin ; (2) 
to make the application cover a large area, the 
larger the surface the more effective; (3) not 
to continue too long (15 to 20 minutes is usually 
the right time, to be renewed after an hour or 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 427 

more if necessary, and (4) to make a short cool- 
ing application at the end. 

The simplest method of application is by means 
of a flannel cloth wrung out of very hot water. 
It is well to apply a dry flannel cloth next the 
skin. 

A flannel cloth previously wet may be heated 
by wrapping around a hot steam pipe or by lay- 
ing on the top of a stove, protected by a news- 
paper, or by means of a special electric heater. 

When continuous heat is desired, this may be 
secured by means of an electric thermophore 
placed over a moist cloth laid on the skin. A 
photophore may be used for heating, or in 
emergency a hot water bag or a sand bag may be 
employed. 

Heat kills pain. This fact explains the chief 
value of the fomentation. It is an efficient means 
of employing heat. About the only precautions 
necessary are to avoid fomentations over the 
heart for more than one or two minutes duration, 
and to be careful not to blister the skin when the 
patient is paralyzed or unconscious. 

Duration of Hot Application 

Q. For how long may a fomentaton be con- 
tinued without injury? 

A. The duration of a fomentation is not usu- 
ally more than five to fifteen minutes. When 



428 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

continued longer than five minutes, the flannel 
should be reheated. Small fomentations may be 
kept hot by means of one or two rubber bags 
filled with hot water, or a heated brick or jug 
or bottle. A rubber bag filled with hot water 
and covered with a moist flannel is a conven- 
ient method of applying a small fomentation. A 
rubber or a flexible metal coil through which a 
current of hot water is constantly passed may 
be used for a continuous application of moist 
heat by placing under a coil a moist flannel. 

Even when pain is persistent, it is better not 
to continue the fomentation for more than fifteen 
to twenty minutes without exchanging it for a 
short cold application which may be made by 
dipping the hand in cold water and rubbing the 
parts, or by applying a towel or a cheesecloth 
napkin wrung out of cold water, for fifteen to 
twenty seconds. The cold application serves to 
restore the tone of the vessels, which is lost 
by prolonged application of heat, thus maintain- 
ing a more active circulation through the parts 
than can be secured by the fomentation alone. 

A fomentation should never be allowed to re- 
main on a part until it becomes cool, as this will 
produce an effect the very opposite of that de- 
sired. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 429 

Fomentations — Reaction After 

Q. How may reaction after a fomentation 
be best secured? 

A. At the conclusion of the fomentation, 
immediately after the withdrawal of the last 
hot cloth, a very short cold application should 
be made, either by rubbing the parts with the 
hands dipped in cold water or by applying for 
fifteen or twenty seconds a towel wrung out of 
cold water. By this means the blood is fixed in 
the skin so that the effect of the fomentation is 
prolonged. 

If the fomentation has been so large or so 
long continued as to produce general perspir- 
ation, some general cold application should be 
made after the fomentation as a means of ton- 
ing the skin. A cold mitten friction, a cold 
towel rub, and in some cases a cold wet sheet 
rub may be properly used for this purpose. As 
a general rule, such a cold application as the half 
bath, cold shower and the cold douche in all 
forms cannot be safely used in cases of internal 
inflammation, or when the patient is suffering 
with or has just been relieved from severe neur- 
algic pain. 



430 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Precautions Necessary in Use of 
Fomentations 

Q. Is there any danger in giving hot fomen- 
tations ? 

A. Great care must be taken to avoid injury 
to the skin in the application of fomentations to 
paralyzed parts ; also in applying fomentations to 
persons who are unconscious from shock, faint- 
ing, or other cause., as during unconsciousness 
the circulation of the blood is often greatly 
slowed so that burns may be easily made at a 
temperature which would not injuriously affect 
a person in a normal condition. 

How the Fomentation Relieves Pain 

Q. In what way does the fomentation act? 

A. The most important service rendered by 
the fomentation is perhaps in the relief of pain. 
Aside from opiates, there is no means by which 
pain may be so promptly and positively relieved 
as by the application of moist heat. For this 
purpose the fomentation should be applied as 
hot as possible without running the risk of in- 
juring the skin. The fomentation acts both by 
the diversion of blood from the painful part and 
through a sedative influence upon the nerves. 
The area covered by the fomentation must be 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 431 

very much larger than that affected by the 
pain, at least three or four times as large. 

Taking Gold After Gold Bath 

Q. Why does one take cold after a cold 
bath? 

A. One does not take cold after a cold bath 
because the bath is cold, but in spite of this fact. 
Daily cold bathing is one of the best precautions 
a person can take against colds. If, after tak- 
ing a cold bath or a bath of any kind, one is 
not careful to thoroughly dry the skin, chill is 
apt to occur by the evaporation of moisture from 
the skin after dressing, and thus cold may be 
taken. Xeglect to secure good reaction, that is 
thorough warming of the skin, after a cold bath 
may produce a wretched feeling which may lead 
one to think he has contracted a cold when he has 
not, the symptoms being rheumatic in character. 
Very cold bathing especially in persons not ac- 
customed to cold baths, may produce excessive 
reaction, which may often be accompanied by 
a slight fever, and so may be mistaken for a cold. 
After taking a cold bath a person should rub the 
surface of the body very thoroughly, and then 
take a walk or engage in some vigorous out-of- 
door exercise. Persons who are not accustomed 
to cold bathing should begin very cautiously, 
employing first the method known as partial 



432 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

bathing in which a small part of the body, as an 
arm or a leg, is first bathed then rubbed until 
warm. 

Sun Bath 

Q. What is the curative value of the sun 
bath? 

A. Sunlight is one of the most powerful of 
all hygienic and curative agents. As a hygienic 
measure it is of inestimable value in the de- 
struction of dangerous microbes, the most of 
which are unable to resist the action of the direct 
rays of the sun for more than a few minutes. 
Sunlight is thus the most important of all dis- 
infecting and sterilizing agencies. The value of 
sunlight in the maintenance of health is well 
shown in the dwarfed development and rapid de- 
terioration of plants deprived of its stimulating 
influence. 

In taking a sun bath, either the whole or a 
part of the body may be exposed to the direct 
influence of the solar rays, qr some protection 
may be afforded by a covering of white cheese- 
cloth. The bath may be best taken in a room 
properly constructed for the purpose. The 
room should face the south, and the windows 
should be sloping. The patient should lie on a 
cot placed before a window, the head being pro- 
tected from the direct rays of the sun. The 
length of the exposure will depend upon the in- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 433 

tensity of the sun's rays and the effects sought. 

If the light is very intense, or the patient very 
feeble, the duration of the bath should not be 
more than five minutes if the whole body is ex- 
posed; in less sensitive patients, or those ac- 
customed to the sun bath, it may be continued 
from twenty minutes to half or three quarters 
of an hour. 

Indications for Sun Bath 

0. In what conditions should the sun bath 
be used? 

A. The sun bath is useful in all cases of mal- 
nutrition, anemia, inactivity of the skin, chronic 
dyspepsia, most cases of neurasthenia, indigestion, 
chlorosis, rheumatism, diabetes, and obesity. 
The only class of cases in which the bath is 
positively contraindicated is that in which the 
patient has recently suffered from heat stroke, 
and is especially susceptible to the action of the 
direct ravs of the sun; but such cases are rare. 

Warm Bath for a Cold 

Q. Should or should not a warm bath be 
taken for a cold? 

A. Immediately after a cold is taken, a very 
hot bath is often very useful; but for relief of 
a chronic cold, warm baths are less useful than 
cold baths. 



434 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

People with a tendency to take cold may 
"harden" themselves by cold baths. 

Warm Baths — Protection of the Ears 

Q. In taking the full warm tub bath twice 
a week, is it injurious to the ear or other parts 
to immerse the head at the same time with 
the body? 

A. It is not injurious to immerse the ears 
provided care is taken to thoroughly dry the 
whole of the external canal of the ear after the 
bath; but this is quite likely to be neglected, 
which may lead to inflammation of the ear 
and the permanent impairment of hearing. Water 
may be kept out of the ears during immersion 
by stopping them with a little cotton which has 
been dipped in melted paraffin; paraffin paper 
makes a good stopper. 

Are Daily Baths Weakening 

Q. Is the daily bath "weakening"? 

A. Hot baths are weakening or depressing, 
but short, cold baths are tonic and strengthening. 
Very short and very hot baths have a tonic ef- 
fect also, while long cold baths are very de- 
pressing. Cold bathing may easily be overdone 
by those not trained and "hardened" to the use 
of cold water. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 435 

In cold weather, a cold air bath is in many 
cases to be recommended instead of a cold wa- 
ter bath. 

In this kind of bath the body should be ex- 
posed to the air for three or four minutes, the 
skin being vigorously rubbed in the meantime 
with the hands or with a towel or flesh brush. 
A reaction produced in this way is in every way 
as useful as that produced by the application 
of cold water, and involves no risk of taking cold 
or chapping of the skin which some persons find 
a great inconvenience in cold weather. 

The Hot Bath After Exercise 

Q. Should a cold or a hot bath be taken 
after exercise? 

A. In a case of complete exhaustion after 
violent exercise, a short hot hath is preferable to 
a cold bath. In fact, a cold bath is generally 
dangerous in such cases, because of the loss 
of the power of the body to react. In these 
cases the nerve centers are so exhausted that 
good reaction to cold can not be induced. A 
very short and very hot application to the skin 
produces tonic and stimulant effects similar to 
those produced by cold. After a short hot bath 
a very cold application may be made without 
danger. 



436 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The Brand Bath 

Q. What is the "Brand bath" and for what 
is it used? 

A. This is a cold rubbing bath used by Ger- 
man physicians in the treatment of typhoid fever. 

The bath tub containing water at a temperature 
of 70° to 80° F. is placed near the bed. The pa- 
tient is lifted from the bed into the tub as quickly 
as possible, the face and head having been pre- 
viously cooled by the application of water at 50° 
F. Care should be taken to immerse the patient 
to the neck, as exposure iDf the shoulders is likely 
to give rise to pulmonary complications. The head 
should be protected by a towel wet in ice water 
and wrapped about the head in such a way as to 
form a sort of trough leading down the back 
of the head. On entering the tub the patient is 
rubbed vigorously for two or three minutes then 
sits up for a few seconds while two or three 
gallons of water at 5$° F. are poured upon his 
head and allowed to run down the back of his 
neck. H,e then lies down again and the rubbing 
is repeated. At the end of five minutes the af- 
fusion to the head is repeated and the rubbing 
continued. After the bath the patient is covered 
well in bed. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 437 



Salt Water Baths 

Q. Is the use of salt in a bath as a flesh 
reducer harmless? 

A. Yes, entirely so because the salt is not ab- 
sorbed by the body. So long as the temperature 
of the water is higher than that of the body, the 
movement is outward. There is no absorption. 
When the temperature of the bath is lower than 
that of the body in a cool bath, there is some 
absorption taking place. In the ordinary warm 
bath with salt water, the salt is practically not 
absorbed at all. 

The Neutral Bath 

0. What is the correct temperature of the 
warm bath to cure insomnia? 

A. The neutral bath temperature is from 92° 
to 98^ F. 

Hot Foot-Bath 

Q. How should the foot-bath be taken? 

A. The water should be as hot as can be 
borne. Use 105° to 115° F. The temperature of 
the water can be gradually raised. The deeper 
the water the greater the effect. The leg-bath 
is still more efficient than the foot-bath, but not 
alwavs so convenient as the hot foot-bath, which 



438 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

may be taken in bed. If necessary, a fomenta- 
tion may be applied to the feet, but the effect is 
not so good as that of the hot foot-bath. It is 
an excellent means of relieving severe pain in 
the head, also ovarian and menstrual pains. 

The Exercise or Rowing Bath 

Q. What is the best substitute for sea bath- 
ing? 

A. Swimming in the open air is without 
doubt one of the best of all forms of exercise. 
Unfortunately this form of exercise is at the 
present time inaccessible to the majority of peo- 
ple though it is hoped that the time will come 
when every public school will be supplied with 
a swimming pool so that every boy and every 
girl may learn to swim and may have an op- 
portunity to engage in this wholesome exercise 
at all seasons of the year. A recent invention 
makes it possible for every home to have the 
essential advantages of sea bathing or swimming 
by the aid of a simple appliance which may be 
connected with any bath tub. The following is 
a brief description of the "exercise bath :" 

The patient sits in a bath tub filled with water, 
and dips water over himself while at the same 
time executing the movements of rowing. The 
temperature of the water may be 100° F. at the 
start, but should be rapidly lowered by opening 






A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 439 

the cold water faucet and, if necessary, letting 
out part of the water while the cold water is run- 
ning in. The rowing and dipping apparatus con- 
sists of a pair of handles to which is attached a 
dipper and a rubber cord. The bather fills the 
bowl as he reaches forward, then dashes the wa- 
ter over his body as he pulls the bowl towards 
his chest and bends his body back. Strokes are 
made at the rate of about thirty per minute. 
From one hundred to one hundred and fifty 
strokes are made. The temperature of the water 
grows continually colder to the close of the bath 
or until pipe temperature is reached. A temper- 
ature of 70° F. to 65° F. is easily borne, and one 
finishes the bath with the same delightful sen- 
sation of warmth and glow which one feels after 
a swim in the surf. The temperature of the wa- 
ter is, of course, under perfect control, an ad- 
vantage over sea bathing and the work done may 
be made as vigorous as one desires. 

This exercise bath is most excellent for persons 
suffering from constipation. The impact of the 
cold water upon the surface of the abdomen re- 
fiexly stimulates intestinal activity. 

The exercise bath is especially valuable in cases 
of obesity. Both the exercise and the cold water 
help to burn up the excessive accumulation of fat 
in the abdominal wall and within the abdomen. 



440 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Effervescent Bath 

Q. What is an effervescent bath? 

A. The so-called effervescent bath or Nau- 
heim bath is a mineral bath in which carbon 
dioxide is produced in sufficient quantities to 
keep the water of the bath saturated. 

The most convenient method of giving the 
bath is to dissolve in the water of the bath a 
mixture of common salt, chlorid of calcium 
and bicarbonate of soda, then to place along 
the length of the tub at the bottom little blocks 
of fused bisulphate of soda. The bisulphate is 
slowly dissolved and so gives rise to the gradual 
formation of C0 2 and maintains a saturate so- 
lution of the gas for a considerable period. The 
following proportions have been found to be 
suitable : 

Sodium chlorid 40% 

Calcium chlorid 25% 

Sodium bicarbonate 17.5% 

Sodium bisulphate 17.5% 

A mixture of the first three ingredients weigh- 
ing 110 ounces, and ten blocks of bisulphate of 
soda weighing 2^3 ounces each are required for 
an immersion bath of forty gallons. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 441 

Sitz Baths in Pregnancy 

Q. At what temperature should sitz baths 
be taken during pregnancy, and what should 
be the duration of the bath? 

A. 80° to 90° F. ; eight to twelve minutes. 
The parts immersed should be continuously 
rubbed to prevent chilling'. 

The Hot Sitz Bath 

Q. In what conditions is the hot sitz bath 
useful? 

A. A short very hot sitz bath (112° to 120° 
F.) is a most excellent means of relieving chronic 
pelvic pain. The duration should be from three to 
five minutes, and it should be instantly followed 
by a dash of cold water upon the hips, or rapid 
cold friction of the parts. This is a most ex- 
cellent and serviceable analgesic measure, and 
may be advantageously employed in chronic 
ovarian and uterine pains, painful affections of 
the rectum, and chronic inflammation of the 
prostate. 

Revulsive Bath 

Q. What is meant by the "revulsive sitz 
bath"? 

A. With the feet in hot water, the patient 
sits in water at a temperature of 102° F. and the 



442 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

temperature is gradually raised to 110°, 112°, 
or even 115° F. or as hot as can be borne. The 
skin should be well rubbed. After four or five 
minutes, the patient rises, and cold water is 
dashed over him. If cold water induces pain, the 
temperature is gradually lowered. In this case 
the patient remains from five to ten minutes 
longer in the bath, the moist surface being 
rubbed. This prevents chilling after the bath, 
and increases the permanency of the effect pro- 
duced. 

The Continuous Bath 

Q. Are prolonged baths dangerous? 

A. The prolonged or continuous tepid bath is 
a most valuable remedy. It is absolutely harm- 
less. The lives of many persons suffering from 
extensive burns have been saved by the con- 
tinuous bath. 

This bath is now employed in all the leading 
insane asylums as a substitute for drugs and is 
used for putting patients to sleep. A stay in 
the bath from two to ten hours will cure the 
most desperate case of insomnia. 

Dr. W. Weygandt, an eminjent German 
physician recently reported his experience with 
the effect of water treatments in cases of mental 
and nervous diseases. The continuous tepid 
bath has not only a tranquil izing action, he says, 
but it aids in the healing of skin affections. In 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 443 

the thousands of cases in which he has applied 
it he has rarely noted any bad effects. He asserts 
that in his experience the continuous tepid or 
neutral bath produced particularly beneficial 
effects on the metabolism, and that several of 
his patients have improved to such an extent 
that they could return to business, while in 
numerous other cases it has prolonged life for 
years. 

He found the continuous bath an impor- 
tant aid for neurasthenics ; the effect is more 
dependable than mere bed rest, as he found by 
personal experience during a nervous breakdown 
from overwork. 

The continuous bath must be maintained at a 
temperature varying little from 96° F. At this 
temperature, no reaction occurs and the nervous 
system is not excited. At the same time, the nerve 
ends of the skin are rendered less sensitive by 
imbibing water, while the nerves are tranquilized 
and soothed. 

More particular, however, the bath produces a 
decidedly stimulating effect. The absorption of 
water by the skin is sufficiently active to excite 
great activity of the kidneys. Very large quant- 
ities of urine are often produced, and by this 
means the blood and tissue fluids are cleared of 
depressing or irritating poisons. 



444 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Precautions Necessary in Taking Gold Baths 

Q. What precautions are necessary in tak- 
ing a cold bath? 

A. Four points are especially to be borne in 
mind in taking the cold bath : 

1. The body must be all over warm be- 
fore any kind of cold bath. For this reason the 
best time for taking the bath is immediately up- 
on rising, while the body is warm. If not warm 
the body should he warmed by taking a very 
short hot bath before the cold one. A cold bath 
to a cold body is dangerous. 

2. The room in which the cold water bath is 
taken must be warm. 

3. The body must be all over warm at the 
conclusion of the hath. 

4. A cold bath must be of short duration — 
the colder the water the shorter the bath. Prompt 
and thorough reaction after a cold bath must 
always be the rule. 

The Abdominal Bandage 

Q. What is an abdominal bandage and how 
should it be applied? 

A. There are several forms of the abdominal 
bandage. A dry bandage worn about the ab- 
domen is a useful means of support to the ab- 
dominal organs in cases where the muscles are 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 445 

weak. A simple bandage of flannel is generally 
used for this purpose. The moist abdominal 
bandage is useful in nearly all forms of in- 
digestion affecting the stomach and bowels. This 
application consists essentially of a towel wrung 
out of cold water as dry as possible, wrapped 
around the body and covered with dry flannel. 
The covering should be thoroughly done, so that 
no portion of the moist bandage should be ex- 
posed. The covering should be thick enough to 
secure a quick warming of the towel, and to keep 
it warm. Both bandages should be applied 
snugly. 

Vibration 

Q. What is the value of vibratory treat- 
ment? 

A. Vibration causes first contraction and 
then dilatation of the blood vessels. 

Strong vibration of the chest wall causes ex- 
pansion of the lung, — an effect of very great 
importance, as there is perhaps no other means 
by which the same results can be so quickly and 
efficiently obtained. The effects of vibratory 
applications to the chest wall are quickly manifest 
by the long and deep respiratory movements 
which continue for some time after the con- 
clusion of the application. 

Vibration applied over the precordial region 



446 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

lessens the rate of pulsation and increases the 
force of the heart's action to a very remarkable 
degree. Zander observed a fall of from 130 to 
90 pulsations per minute. This effect of vi- 
bration is so well recognized among French 
physicians that vibration is sometimes referred 
to as the gymnastic digitalis. 

Zander and others have shown that mechanical 
vibration produces contraction of smooth muscles. 
That strong vibratory applications will increase 
peristalsis the writer has frequently shown in 
cases in which visible peristalis was produced in 
patients having thin abdominal walls. This effect 
has also been clearly demonstrated in the effect 
of vibration in relieving constipation. This is 
one of its most pronounced and certain effects, 
whether the application is made by the vibration 
chair, or by a hand vibrator applied over the 
abdomen and back. 

The drowsiness and even sleep which follow 
the application of vibration to the head clearly 
demonstrate the sedative effect of centrifugal 
vibration upon the brain applied in this manner. 
The first sensation is that of slight giddiness, 
differing, however, from that which is produced 
by a whirling motion in not being accompanied 
by nausea. A similar but less pronounced effect 
is produced when the application is made to the 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 447 

occiput or back of the neck. The application is 
followed by a sensation of lightness and in- 
creased mental activity. 



The Enema 

Q. Should the enema be administered warm 
or cold? 

A. Warm enemas are necessary in cases of 
colic or colitis and when the bowels are sensitive 
or the seat of pain. 

The cold water enema is an efficient means of 
reducing temperature which is highly useful in 
connection with other measures, especially when 
patients have a great repugnance to cold appli- 
cations to the skin. Two or three pints of water 
should be used at a temperature of 80° to 70° F. 
A lower temperature is likely to produce tenes- 
mus and too quick discharge of the water. The 
water should be injected slowly and retained for 
ten to fifteen minutes, if possible. When dis- 
charged, a like quantity should be introduced, this 
procedure being repeated until the temperature is 
reduced a degree or two, or until the patient shiv- 
ers. A hot bag at the pit of the stomach pre- 
vents uncomfortable chilling. 

In certain cases the fever seems to yield more 
readily to the cool enema than to any other 
means, although in general this is a less reliable 



448 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

measure for reducing temperature than the cool- 
ing pack or the cool bath. 

The enema is indispensable as a means of 
mechanically emptying the bowels under various 
conditions. It is useful as a means of temporary 
relief in many cases of constipation, and the 
graduated enema is a useful means of treatment. 
When used habitually, the temperature of the 
water should be lower than that of the body, 
preferably not higher than 80° F. and sometimes 
lower. 

The enema is also highly valuable as a means 
of supplying water when for any reason it can- 
not be gotten in by the mouth. A half pint of 
water every hour, to be retained will supply the 
much needed water in these special cases. 

The enema is less useful as a means of intro- 
ducing food. Malt sugar is about the only food 
which can be utilized in this way. An ounce of 
malt sugar may be added to each pint of water 
introduced. 



Relief of Pain 



Pain Remedies 

Q. What are the best means of relieving 
pain? 

Hot-water bag. A rubber bag filled with hot 
water is an excellent means of relieving pain 
in deep-seated parts, pain of the back, chronic in- 
testinal pain, various neuralgias, and other pains 
in which inflammation or congestion is not pres- 
ent. Hot bags should not be employed con- 
tinuously on persons suffering from acute in- 
flammation. 

If a moist application is desired, a moist flan- 
nel may be wrapped around the water bag. 
Bricks, sand bags, etc., may be used in a similar 
way. 

Radiant Heat. Consists of the application of 
a lighted electric lamp surrounded by a suitable 
shade or reflector to the part affected. It is a 
most excellent means of relieving pain. The heat 
is more penetrating than that from any other 
source except the arc light and sunlight. It is 
a capital means of relieving pain of the spine, 
various joint pains, and all kind of neuralgic 
pains. 



450 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Flame Heat. The heat rays which radiate 
from a blazing fireplace may be utilized for re- 
lieving a chronic pain in the back or side and 
non-inflammatory pain involving any large por- 
tion of the body. Lie on a sofa or rug before 
the fire with the skin exposed. 

Arc Light. A most effective means of reliev- 
ing visceral and spinal pains. The heat must 
be concentrated by means of a reflector of proper 
shape. 

Sunlight. Sick animals nearly always lie down 
in the sun, unless suffering from inflammation. 
There is no better remedy for general neuralgic 
pains than a sun bath. 

Hot Air. A current of heat driven into the 
ear is a most effective means of relieving ear- 
ache. A general hot-air bath removes rheumatic 
pains. 

Alternate Compress. The alternate application 
of hot and cold compresses is an effective means 
of relieving pain from internal congestion. The 
application is made over the painful part and 
affords relief by diverting the blood to the sur- 
face. 

Alternate Sponging. The application and ef- 
fect are the same as for the alternate compress. 
Very much hotter water can be employed how- 
ever, and when the parts may be rubbed with ice 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANGERED 451 

in alternation with the hot application, most 
powerful revulsion may be induced. 

Cold Rubbing. This is an excellent means of 
relieving certain forms of pain. Neuralgic pains 
may be aggravated by this means, but pains 
due to congestion are usually relieved. The 
parts must simply be rubbed with a cloth dipped 
in cold water. The temperature of the water 
should not be lower than 60° F. It is often nec- 
essary to continue rubbing for a long time until 
the surface is thoroughly reddened. 

The Ice-Bag or Ice Compress. Patients with 
inflammation or congestion are best relieved by 
the application of a small ice compress or an 
ice bag over the painful part. Generally it is 
well to apply heat to some distant part in con- 
nection with the ice application or to make a gen- 
eral hot application so as to prevent chilling. 

Heating Compress. Wring a cloth out of cold 
water and apply over the painful parts. Cover 
with mackintosh and then with several thick- 
nesses of flannel. The moist cloth will quickly 
become warm, and will retain the heat for a 
long time. It acts as a poultice, and is fully as 
effective as a " poultice (besides being much 
cleaner) in deep-seated spinal pains, as found 
in pains due to indigestion, chronic catarrh of 
the bowels and constipation. A heating com- 
press applied to the abdomen will often relieve 



452 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

congestion of the head in headache, and so in- 
duce sleep. 

Fomentations followed by the Heating Com- 
press. This is a most effective means of relieving 
pain in chronic rheumatism. The heating com- 
press should usually follow the fomentation, and 
is invaluable as a means of removing sciatic 
pains, lumbago, and most other deep-seated pains 
due to nerve trouble. It is excellent in neu- 
ritis. 

Cotton Poultice. This is similar to the heating 
compress. The parts are covered with cotton, 
covered with mackintosh, then with flannel. The 
heat induces perspiration, which accumulates in 
the cotton and moistens it so that after a time 
the application really becomes a moist compress. 
Its effects are the same as a poultice, but more 
cleanly and effective. 

The Clay Poultice. Modelers' clay mixed with 
equal parts of water and glycerine to the con- 
sistency of very thick cream, and applied hot 
to the painful parts, often affords relief. This 
is a most excellent application, far better than 
bread and milk poultices or any similar prepar- 
ation. Under the name of "Ar^tiphlogistin/' a 
clay paste is sold in many drug stores. Our ex- 
perience is that this preparation is no better 
than ordinary clay prepared as suggested. 

In making the application, the clay is spread 
over the affected parts, and covered with cotton. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 453 

It must be warmed before using. Warming 
softens and facilitates the application, and at 
the same time the heat itself helps the effect. 

General Hot Bath. Severe internal pain is best 
relieved by a general hot bath, which, drawing 
the blood to the surface, often affords complete 
relief in severe pains due to gall-stones, gastritis, 
arthritis, and other painful affections. 

The Hot Blanket Pack. This is similar to the 
hot-water bath, but is not so effective. It can 
sometimes be more conveniently employed. It 
is useful in relieving the pain of menstruation 
and of appendicitis. The whole body is wrapped 
in a blanket wrung out of hot water. 

The Foot-Bath. The water should be as hot 
as can be borne. Use 105° to 120° F. The 
temperature of the water can be gradually 
raised. The deeper the water, the greater the 
effect. The leg-bath is still more efficient than 
the foot-bath, but cannot be taken in bed. If 
necessary, a fomentation may be applied to the 
feet, but the effect is not so good as that of the 
hot foot-bath. It is an excellent means of re- 
lieving severe pain in the head, also ovarian and 
menstrual pains. 

Revulsive Site. With the feet in hot water, 
the patient sits in water at a temperature of 
102° F., and the temperature is gradually raised 
to 110°, 115° or even 118* F., or as hot as can be 
borne. The skin should be well rubbed. After 



454 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

four or five minutes, the patient stands, and 
cold water is dashed over him. If cold water 
induces pain, the temperature is gradually 
lowered. In this case the patient remains from 
five to ten minutes longer in the bath, the moist 
surface being rubbed. This prevents chilling 
after the bath, and increases the permanency of 
the effect produced. 

The Hot Hip and Leg Pack with the Ice-Bag. 
This is especially useful for relief of pain due 
to pelvic inflammation in women, or appendicitis 
in either men or women. The hips and legs are 
wrapped in a blanket wrung out of hot water, 
and after the patient begins to feel warm, an 
ice-bag is slipped under the blanket and over 
the affected part. This is a most excellent means 
of combating appendicitis. By the renewal of 
this application for two or three hours, an at- 
tack of appendicitis may be sometimes checked. 

Ice-Bag and Fomentation. For toothache, lay 
an ice-bag on the side of the neck under the 
jaw and fomentations to the side of the face. If 
necessary, employ the hot foot-bath and the 
hot hip and leg pack. Also consult a dentist. 

Hot Enema. The temperature of the water 
should be from 102° to 106° F. A copious enema 
will relieve severe intestinal pain in a marvelous 
way, — the pain of gall-stones, renal colic, ap- 
pendicitis, inflammation of the bladder, and 
neuralgia, also. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 455 

Rest, Absolute rest of the painful parts is 
usually necessary. Rest in bed is required for 
the relief of severe internal pain. In pleurisy, 
rest of the affected lung should be secured by 
fastening a tight bandage around the lower part 
of the chest. 

Position. Pain in the limbs accompanied by 
throbbing may generally be relieved by raising 
the limb one or two feet from the bed or couch 
upon which the patient is lying. Rest is always 
required when pain is present. 

Pain in the Ch^st 

Q. What is the remedy for a smarting pain 
in the left side of the chest? 

A. A hot fomentation over the stomach and 
the seat of pain, hot sponging of the same 
parts, followed by the heating compress, are 
means likely to give relief. The heating com- 
press is applied as follows : A cloth is wrung 
out of cold water dry enough so it will not drip ; 
this is laid over the affected parts and covered 
with oiled muslin or some other impervious 
cloth, and the whole is protected b) means of 
heavy woolen wrappings. It is quite possible 
that the pain may be due to intestinal autoin- 
toxication resulting from constipation. A laxative 
diet is to be recommended in such cases. I 
bran and paraffin. 



456 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Sprains 

Q. What is the quickest way to relieve 
pain in case of sprains? 

A. For the pain of sprains and bruises, ad- 
minister very hot applications followed by cold 
compresses or ice bags. The fomentation may 
be renewed every fifteen minutes for two or 
three hours, the cold compress being maintained 
in the interval. Apply a bandage. 

Pelvic Pain 

Q. How may one relieve an almost con- 
tinuous pain in the pelvic region? 

A. Pain in the pelvic region can in many 
cases be relieved by the use of a hot enema. 
The application may be repeated several times 
a day. The quantity of water introduced at 
once should not be more than one or two pints, 
as the application is designed for the organs of 
the lower abdomen and the pelvis. The water 
should be retained five minutes, when it may be 
allowed to escape, and a fresh quantity intro- 
duced, this being repeated from three to six 
times. It is not necessary to remove the rectal 
tube; by detaching the tube from the fountain, 
and lowering the end, the water will escape into 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 457 

a suitable vessel. The patient should lie on the 
back with the shoulders raised. Allow the water 
to pass in slow 1 v. 

Pain Below the Shoulderblades 

Q. What is the cause of pain just below 
the shoulderblades? 

A. This pain is usually the result of a dis- 
eased condition of the stomach or the stomach 
and gall-bladder. In case of gall-bladder dis- 
ease, tenderness is almost certain to be found not 
only under the right ribs where the gall-bladder 
is situated, but also at a point in the spine nearly 
opposite. This condition is known as reflex pain 
or tenderness ; it does not signify a diseased con- 
dition of the spinal column or of the spinal cord 
or nerves. It is a "referred tenderness'' and is 
due to sympathetic or reflex irritation. 

Pain-Relieving Drugs 

Q. Is there any drug which can be used for 
the relief of pain without producing injurious 
effects? 

A. No. Even such drugs as phenacetin, co- 
deine, and aspirin are harmful. They relieve 
pain momentarily but later increase pain. The 
cause of the pain must be removed, then it will 
disappear. 



Stimulants and Narcotics 

How Injurious Are Tea, Coffee, Etc.? 

Q. Has science really demonstrated that 
alcohol, tobacco, tea and coffee are as injuri- 
ous as they are claimed to be? 

A. Doctor Rivers, of Cambridge University, 
Professor of Experimental Psychology, has re- 
cently published the results of a new series of 
experiments made by him which furnishes most 
positive evidence of the harmful effects of al- 
cohol, tobacco, tea and coffee upon strength and 
endurance, both mental and muscular. Every 
possible precaution was taken to prevent error, 
so that the results are apparently incontrovertible. 

Some of the experiments were made with an 
ergograph, an instrument by means of which 
muscular work may be accurately measured. 

In order to prepare himself for his task, Doctor 
Rivers renounced the use of all the drugs for an 
entire year before he began his experiments. 

The effects of tea and coffee were found to 
be decidedly poisonous. Says Doctor Rivers: 
"Caffein, the active principle of coffee and tea, 
may be legitimately spoken of as an accelerator 
of fatigue." On this account Doctor Rivers con- 
demns tea and coffee as dangerous in cases of 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 459 

prolonged exertion, and especially in neuras- 
thenia, in which there is a chronic "enhanced 
tendency to fatigue." This is especially im- 
portant for neurasthenics, who are decidedly 
prone to the use of tea and coffee on account of 
the temporarily agreeable effects of these drugs 
in obliterating the sense of fatigue, one of the 
chief distresses of neurasthenics. 

The effect of alcohol was "a decided falling 
off in the amount of work done." The evidence 
also pointed to decrease of mental work. 

The effect of tobacco upon muscular work was 
found to be "most unfavorable. " One instance is 
cited in which an eminent physiologist who had 
been addicted to the use of tobacco found a de- 
cided increase "in energy and power for work'' on 
giving up the use of the drug. 

Alcohol 

Q. What are the effects of alcohol upon 
the race? 

A. Alcohol is the plague of civilization. It 
is a deadly enemy of religion, morality, health, 
and prosperity. It is the poison which strikes 
deeply into the roots of personal life, home life, 
civic life, and national life. Alcohol is a race 
poison that blights the lives of unborn infants. 
It is a pitiless scourge, the destructive effects of 
which do not end with the drunkard, but are 



460 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

passed on to the third and fourth generations 
of his posterity. 

It is known that alcohol is not a stimulant, but 
a narcotic. A pint of beer impairs intelligence 
and weakens the memory. The most minute 
doses of alcohol injure judgment and the rea- 
soning faculty. Alcohol lessens endurance. Ex- 
periments upon animals and men have shown 
that alcohol even in small doses lessens the power 
to resist disease. 

We fight germs with our blood corpuscles. A 
pint of champagne puts 20 per cent of our blood 
cells out of commission. The saloon is in league 
with the brothel in destroying our modern civil- 
ization. Our insane asylums are filled with the 
progeny of these monsters. Statistics show that 
20 per cent of the inmates of our asylums owe 
their insanity directly to the use of alcohol. 
Twenty per cent are due to syphilis. 50 per cent 
are traceable to heredity, half of which is due to 
alcohol and vice. Alcohol is a monster which 
claims its victims not once a year, but every day 
and every hour. A continuous procession of 
men, women and children are being momentarily 
sucked into the maw of this demon of destruction. 
The annual crop of lunatics, idiots, imbeciles and 
epileptics due to alcohol and allied causes is 
growing faster than the progeny of the sane 
and sound. We already have an aristocracy of 
lunatics, idiots, embeciles, and epileptics number- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 461 

irig more than a million, supported at a cost of 
one hundred million dollars annually, and multi- 
plying fast. The time has come for intelligent 
men and women who love humanity and who are 
concerned about the future welfare of the race, 
to rise and combat this enemy of humanity. 

Alcohol and Digestion 

Q. Does alcohol aid digestion? 

A. When alcohol is introduced into the 
stomach it produces a profuse flow of mucus 
the purpose of which is to protect the mucous 
membrane from the irritating effects of the al- 
cohol. Alcohol also stimulates the glands which 
produce hydrochloric acid. 

The toxic effects of alcohol are shown in a 
very striking way by its influence in hinder- 
ing the formation and accumulation of glycogen 
in the liver, thus lessening resistance to infec- 
tion. 

The question of the food value of alcohol 
has been warmly discussed. For a long time 
there was very great divergence in the results 
obtained by various experimenters, but within 
the last few years there has come to be a gen- 
eral concurrence in the opinion that alcohol can 
not be considered in any proper sense a normal 
foodstuff. The experiments of Atwater and 
others show clearly enough that alcohol is 



462 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

oxidized or metabolized in the body, but the 
same is true of opium and nearly all other or- 
ganic substances. Anything that will burn will 
produce heat. Anything that will combine with 
oyxgen under the conditions in which oxygen is 
found present in the body, whether in the ali- 
mentary canal, the blood or the tissues, will give 
rise to heat; but this is not normal heat meta- 
bolism. The formation of heat in the body takes 
place in connection with cell activity. 

Shock — Fainting 

Q. Should alcohol be given in cases of shock 
or fainting? 

A. When a person faints, or is in a state 
of shock, the action of the heart is weak and the 
blood pressure is low. 

The common habit of administering alcohol 
to persons in a state of shock or collapse from 
hemorrhage or accident, or a person who has 
fainted away, has been shown by recent in- 
vestigations to be almost the worst thing that 
could be done. In case a person has suddenly 
fainted away, the pouring of a few drops of 
alcohol down the throat, or even the admin- 
istration of a few spoonfuls of brandy diluted 
with water does apparent good. 

The apparent beneficial results following the 
administration of alcohol in such cases are 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 463 

caused by the irritation produced by alcohol 
when it first comes in contact with the mouth 
and stomach. Alcohol is highly irritating to the 
sensitive nerves of the mucous membrane, and 
the irritation or excitation thus produced is fol- 
lowed by a slight stimulating effect. But this 
disappears very quickly, for as soon as the al- 
cohol is absorbed, its narcotic or depressant ef- 
fects begin to make their appearance. Then the 
vessels dilate, the heart's energy is weakened, and 
the pernicious effects of the drug become mani- 
fest. This fact is now so well recognized that 
railway surgeons instruct employees to be very 
careful to avoid giving alcohol in cases of ser- 
ious accident, as the effect of the drug may be 
to take away from the victim of a railway 
smashup his one remaining chance for life. 

Alcohol Effects 

Q. What are the effects of alcohol upon the 
body? 

A. Sometime ago, a committee of fifty, con- 
sisting of eminent chemists, physiologists, phar- 
macologists, and clinicians, after three years de- 
voted to careful study of the alcohol question 
published a report which may be briefly sum- 
marized as follows : 

(1) Alcohol, even if it may be tolerated in 
small doses by healthy men for a considerable 
length of time, can not be shown to be capable 



464 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

of supplying any property of special or char- 
acteristic value. 

(2) Alcohol is a poison, — a deadly poison 
in large doses, and a slow insidious poison in 
small doses. 

(3) Alcohol in all doses diminishes muscular 
vigor, nerve sensibility, and vital endurance. 

(4) Pure alcohol in large doses produces im- 
mediately and in a marked degree a retarding 
effect upon digestion, while in small doses its 
effect is such that it can not be said to be in any 
respect an aid to the digestive process. 

(5) The seeming stimulating effect mani- 
fested in one direction is counteracted by an 
equally retarding effect in another direction. Beer 
and wine retard digestion in all appreciable 
doses, producing in this respect an effect even 
greater than whiskey and stronger liquors. 

It must be evident to any thinking person that 
a drug which produces the effects described 
above upon a healthy person, could not be ex- 
pected to do a sick person any good. 

Alcohol and Disease 

Q. To what extent is alcohol known to be a 
cause of disease ? 

A. Statistics show that 20 per cent of cases 
of insanity found in our asylums may be traced 
directly to the use of alcohol. Idiocy and im- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 465 

becility have also been placed to the same cause. 
This would place two hundred thousand out 
of the million defectives to the d ; scredit of al- 
cohol. 

Alcohol is directly the cause of a vast amount 
of disease, instead of being, as many suppose, 
a preventive. If alcohol were a preventive of 
disease, then those who use it ought to be the 
v most healthy ; but we find the contrary to be 
the case. The liquor-drinker, instead of liv- 
ing longer than the teetotaler, as he ought to 
do if this theory were true, lives, on an aver- 
age, after reaching adult age, only one-fifth as 
long as the abstainer, as shown by life-insur- 
ance statistics. 

The Influence of Alcohol Upon Longevity 

Q. Does the use of alcohol shorten life? 

A. At thirty years of age the temperate man 
may expect to live thirty-six and one-half years, 
while the dram-drinker will die in less than four- 
teen years, a loss of nearly two-thirds. 

A London Life Insurance Society divides its 
insurers into two classes, abstainers and mod- 
erate drinkers. It is found that during the last 
twelve years the mortality of abstainers has been 
one-fourth less than among the moderate drink- 
ers ; that is, only three abstainers die to four 
moderate drinkers. 

Dr. Willard Parker, of New York, showed 



466 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

from statistics that for every ten temperate per- 
sons who die between the ages of twenty-one and 
thirty, fifty-one intemperate persons die. 

Alcohol not a Stimulant 

Q. Is alcohol a stimulant? 

A. Alcohol was formerly regarded as a val- 
uable stimulant. Its use was thought to be neces- 
sary in all cases of depression or Vital ex- 
haustion. It is now known to be a narcotic. It 
depresses, it does not stimulate. 

James Miller, in his work on alcohol, says: 
"Alcohol to the working human frame is as a 
pin to the work of an oil-lamp. With this, you 
raise the wick from time to time, and each rais- 
ing may be followed by a burst of brighter 
flame ; but, while you give neither cotton nor oil, 
the existing supply of both is, through such 
pin-work, all the more speedily consumed." 

Alcohol and Digestive Ferments 

Q. What is the effect of alcohol on the 
digestive ferments? 

A. Alcohol in so dilute a form as one part to 
250 of water, or less than one-half of one per- 
cent, hinders the formation and the action of the 
gastric ferments. Wine and beer produce 
still more deleterious effects than dilute alcohol, 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 467 

for the reason that they contain various ethers 
and other substances which paralyze the fer- 
ments as do chloroform and ether. 

Alcohol — Curative Agent 

O. Has alcohol any value as a curative 
agent ? 

A. The verdict of modern science respect- 
ing the use of alcohol in disease may be briefly 
summed up as follows : 

(1) Alcohol never, under any conditions, in- 
creases the vital energy of the body, but, on the 
contrary, decreases it in a marked and uniform 
manner, through its poisonous influence upon 
the living cells. 

(2) Alcohol is never a tonic or stimulant. It 
is always a narcotic, interfering with the bodily 
functions and lessening the nerve tone and vital 
energy. 

(3) Alcohol always diminishes, never in- 
creases, the energy of the heart, and hence is 
detrimental rather than beneficial in cases of 
shock, collapse, fainting, etc. 

(4) Alcohol increases the liability to infec- 
tious disease, and prevents the development of 
immunity. 

(5) Alcohol does not aid digestion, but act- 
ually hinders it, especially in cases in which the 
digestion is already weak or slow; hence its 
use in connection with meals is absolutely un- 



468 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

scientific and irrational, as well as its use as 
an aid to feeble digestion. 

(6) Alcohol diminishes the alkalinity of the 
blood, and so diminishes vital resistance and 
increases susceptibility to disease. 

In view of the above facts, no apology can 
be offered for the use of alcohol in medical 
practice. So far as the writer is himself con- 
cerned, he is glad to be x able to say that during a 
practice reaching over many years' experience in 
the profession, and more than forty years in 
charge of a large medical institution, he has found 
no use for alcohol. In the treatment of the scores 
of thousands of patients who have visited this in- 
stitution, not a single dose of alcohol in any form 
has ever been administered as a curative agent. 

Tobacco 

Q. Is tobacco injurious, and in what way? 

A. Very few users of this noxious weed need 
to have a description of the effects of a moder- 
ate degree of poisoning with tobacco. The gid- 
diness, nausea, and deathly sickness following 
the first attempt to use it are indubitable evi- 
dences of the poisonous character of this drug. 
In severe cases of poisoning violent vomiting, 
purging, vertigo, deathly pallor, dilatation of 
pupils, disturbed heart-action, staggering gait, 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 469 

difficult breathing, and in extreme cases uncon- 
sciousness, are commonly observed. These 
symptoms are produced by a very small quantity 
of the drug in persons not accustomed to its 
use. One reason why so few persons are re- 
puted to die of nicotine poisoning is the won- 
derful faculty the system possesses of accommo- 
dating itself to circumstances. In this way the 
worst poisons may by degrees be tolerated until 
enormous doses can be taken without immediate 
fatal results. In the writer's opinion, the ma- 
jority of tobacco users do die of tobacco poison- 
ing. A man who dies five or ten years sooner 
than he should as a. consequence of tobacco us- 
ing, is killed by the poison just as truly as 
though he died instantly from an overdose. 

Hereditary Effects of Tobacco 

Q. Are the effects transmitted to the off- 
spring? 

A. There is probably no vice or habit to 
which men are addicted, the results of which 
are more certainly transmitted to posterity than 
are those of tobacco using. A vigorous man 
may use tobacco all his life, and be able to con- 
vince himself all the time that he is receiving no 
injury; but the children of that man, who should 
inherit from him a vigorous constitution and high 
health, in most instances are robbed of their 
rightful patrimony, and enter upon life with a 



470 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

weaker organism, with a system predisposed to 
disease and destined to premature decay. 

General Effects of Tobacco 

Q. What is the effect of tobacco using? 

A. Probably not one in a thousand of those 
who use tobacco has any conception of the mis- 
chief which is being done in his body by this 
baneful drug. Tobacco, like every other nar- 
cotic, benumbs the nerves, producing a sort of 
artificial felicity. The influence which relieves 
worry and dissipates the sense of fatigue, at the 
same time lessens the activity of the mind, 
weakens the will, slows the* heart, and impedes 
the movements of all the bodily machinery. 

John Ruskin declared tobacco to be "the worst 
natural curse of civilization;" adding, "It is not 
easy to estimate the demoralizing effect on the 
youth of Europe of the cigar in enabling them 
to pass their time happily in idleness." 

Tobacco using undermines the constitution, 
weakens the will, and blunts the conscience. It 
is a plague against which the voice of every 
friend of humanity should be raised in earnest 
protest. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 471 

Cure for Tobacco Habit 

0. What will cure the tobacco habit? 

A. The only cure for the tobacco habit is to 
stop using tobacco. Substitutes of all sorts are a 
snare and a delusion. There is no drug which 
will take away the appetite for tobacco which is 
not equally as bad or worse than tobacco itself. 
Daily swabbing the mouth with a one-half per 
cent solution of silver nitrate sometimes succeeds. 

Effects of Tobacco Upon the Heart 

0. What is the effect of tobacco on the 
heart and vascular system? 

A. Tobacco paralyzes the heart, and gives 
rise to what is known as "tobacco heart." A 
man suffering from tobacco heart is short of 
breath. He is unfit for any exercise likely to 
put a strain on the heart; it is for this reason 
that runners and athletes in general are for- 
bidden the use of tobacco when preparing for 
a contest. The effect of tobacco on the blood- 
vessels is shown by the fact (stated by Professor 
Janeway, of New York, an eminent authority 
on diseases of the heart) that a single cigar will, 
in thirty minutes, produce a rise of blood-pres- 
sure amounting to twenty points. 



472 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Tobacco and Blood Pressure 

Q. What is the effect of tobacco upon the 
blood pressure? 

A. Tobacco always raises the blood pressure. 
In an experiment upon a young man, an 
habitual smoker, it was found that the blood pres- 
sure raised twenty-five points in twenty minutes 
after the young man had smoked three cigar- 
ettes. An hour elapsed before the blood pres- 
sure returned to normal. It is thus evident 
that smokers who repeat the indulgence several 
times a day in so doing keep the blood pressure 
constantly above normal. 

"Both in frogs and mammals," says Sir Laud- 
er-Brunton, "nicotine produces, first convulsions 
and then paralysis. When applied in small 
doses to the frog's heart it causes the beat at first 
to become slow .and afterwards to become quick. 
If the dose be large, no primary slowing may be 
observed. In mammals it causes a slowing of the 
heart with enormous rise of blood pressure." 

Nicotine and Nerves 

Q. What is the action of nicotine on the 
general nervous system? 

A. Nicotine is particularly a heart poison. It 
acts also upon the blood-vessels and kidneys, giv- 
ing rise to high-blood pressure and hardening of 
the arteries. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 473 

The Tobacco Habit 

(\ If one has chewed tobacco and smoked 
a great deal for a period of thirty years or 
more, how long does it take to eliminate the 
nicotine from his system? 

A. It does not take very long to get the 
nicotine out of his system. Perhaps ten days 
or two weeks, but it takes a long time to re- 
pair the damage done and often the damage 
never can be wholly repaired. It is just as it is 
with a house afire. It may not take long to 
put out a fire, but it may take weeks and months 
to repair the damage done by the fire. 

Athletes and Tobacco 

Q. Why do long-distance runners abstain 
from tobacco? 

A. Hays, the famous long-distance runner 
who was the winner in the Olympic games for 
1908, says:— 

"So far as the diet and similar conditions are 
concerned, one thing is essential; abstinence 
from tobacco in any form. No long-distance 
runner can smoke either cigars or cigarettes and 
run. Smoking affects his lungs and heart, and 
the more he runs the less he will care for it. I 
suggest running as a certain cure for the to- 
bacco habit to any one who wishes to break 
himself of it." 



474 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Tobacco Poison 

Q. Is it true that one pound of dry to- 
bacco leaves contains enough poison to kill 
three hundred men? 

A. One pound of market tobacco contains 
about 350 grains of nicotine. One-thirtieth of 
a grain causes toxic symptoms in man. One 
drop kills a dog. Nine-tenths of a grain will kill 
a man. One pound of tobacco, then, contains 
more than enough to kill three hundred men. 

Smoking and Eyesight 

Q. Does smoking injure the eyesight? 

A. Many persons who are accustomed to 
smoking, endeavor to make themselves believe 
they are receiving no harm therefrom. The fol- 
lowing simple experiment is a test that will 
demonstrate in a very ample manner the poison- 
ous effects of the drug: 

Say to the smoker, "Look out the window ; 
now shut your eyes and look over against the 
wall." He sees a picture of the window, but 
the colors are reversed. He sees the comple- 
mentary colors. If he is looking at blue, for ex- 
ample, when he shuts his eyes he will see red, or 
some shade of red or green. Now observe how 
long it takes those colors to disappear from the 
eye; how long it takes the picture of the win- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 475 

dow that is in the eye to disappear. It ought to 
disappear in a few seconds, but if one has been 
smoking, it takes sometimes as long as fifteen 
minutes. The reason for this is that the smok- 
er's eye is paralyzed in such a way that the pic- 
ture remains an excessively long time. The 
smallest amount of tobacco is a poison. 

Chewing Tobacco 

Q. Does chewing tobacco preserve the 
teeth? 

A. No. Tobacco possesses no preservative 
qualities. Nicotine is not a good disinfectant. 
Chewing tobacco cannot be recommended as a 
preservative of the teeth. It is not at all likely, 
indeed, that any one ever used tobacco for this 
purpose. The claim that tobacco preserves the 
teeth has been presented as an apology for the 
use of this noxious and filthy weed. 

Evils of Cigarettes 

Q. Are the evils of cigarettes exaggerated? 

A. Tobacco injures men, and kills children. 
At one time the Chicago school board had been 
having a medical examination of certain pupils 
before allowing them to take part in certain ath- 
letic sports. Boys and girls were subjected to the 
same examination. Not one girl was found un- 
able to pass, while a large number of the boys, 



476 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

in almost every case smokers, were found to be 
in a physical condition which made violent ex- 
ercise of any kind very dangerous. Twenty-one 
out of a hundred were found unfit, and all but 
three suffered from some form of heart trouble. 
Almost without exception, the unfit ones were 
cigarette smokers. 

Gubeb Cigarettes 

Q. Are cubeb cigarettes injurious, and if 
so, how? 

A. Yes. Cubebs are a drug, and there is cer- 
tainly no reason why they should be used in the 
form of cigarettes or otherwise. The habitual use 
of a drug of any kind is damaging. 

Smoking 

Q. What means should be employed to 
avert the uneasiness which one feels upon dis- 
carding smoking? 

A. Prolonged warm bath at 92° F., taken at 
night, twenty to forty minutes. Cold towel bath 
on rising in the morning. Moist abdominal 
bandage to be worn at night, and also during the 
day if necessary. A short sweating bath two or 
three times a week is also helpful. Meats should 
be discarded, as a flesh diet encourages the ap- 
petite for tobacco. Eat plenty of juicy fruits, 
fresh vegetables, bran and coarse breads. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 477 

Tobacco Smoke 

Q. Is there any direct scientific proof that 
tobacco smoke is poisonous? 

A. Prof. Molisch, an eminent. German scien- 
tist after prolonged and careful research has 
demonstrated that tobacco smoke is highly injur- 
ious to plants. 

"Very young seedlings of vetch (Vicia sativa), 
about 1-10 inch high, were placed on a piece of 
tulle, which was stretched over the mouth of a 
jar so nearly filled with water that most of the 
roots were immersed, while the stem and seed 
leaves were above the tulle. A large vessel 
of more than one gallon capacity was inverted 
over the jar, with its mouth resting on a plate 
and sealed by a shallow layer of water. The op- 
eration of covering the jar with the beaker was 
conducted in front of an open window, in order 
to fill the vessel with pure air. The beaker was 
then slightly tipped and three mouth fuls of to- 
bacco smoke were blown into it through a bent 
glass tube. Another jar similarly planted and 
covered, but not smoked, served as an object of 
comparison. Both beakers with their contents 
were covered with zinc covers which completely 
excluded the light, and were kept in the green- 
house at a temperature of 60° to 65° F. Six days 
later the plants in the left-hand jar, which had 
been exposed to the smoke, were greatly stunted 



478 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

and their thick stalks grew obliquely, horizontally 
or even downward, while their buds showed 
scarcely a trace of the red tint of anthocyan 
which tinge.d most of the buds of the plants which 
had grown in pure air. 

Prof. Molisch reached the very sensible con- 
clusion that "if the living substance of plants 
is so strongly affected by very small doses of 
tobacco smoke it is hardly credible that satura- 
tion of the mouth and the organs of respiration 
with tobacco smoke, continued many years, can 
be entirely free from injurious effects." 

Snuff 

Q. Is snuff taking injurious? 

A. The systemic effects of snuff taking are 
the same as those of tobacco taken in any other 
form. In addition the sense of smell is destroyed 
through the chronic catarrh induced, the sense of 
taste is impaired, and the sight may be seriously 
affected. This dirty habit is certainly much less 
common than in former times, and on the whole 
it is less injurious to the general public than 
either tobacco chewing or smoking, the effects 
being practically confined to the user. 



Clothing 

Clothes Next the Skin 

Q. What is the best fabric to wear next 
to the skin? 

A. Cotton is unquestionably the best fabric 
for contact with the skin. Wool is too highly 
hygroscopic. It absorbs moisture and holds it. 
Cotton absorbs quickly and gives off quickly. 
Wool worn next to the skin, not only absorbs 
moisture, but with the moisture dissolves im- 
purities. These are retained and give rise to 
irritation. The retained moisture also has the 
effect of relaxing the skin and increasing the 
liability to taking cold. Cotton absorbs moisture 
more readily and also gives it off more readily, 
passing it out upon the surface. Cotton is also 
less irritating. Woolen garments as many as may 
be necessary, should be worn over the thinner 
cotton garments next to the body. 

Corsets 

Q. Why is corset wearing injurious? 

A. Corset wearing is potent in breaking 
down the blood-circulating functions of the dia- 
phragm and thus increasing the congestion of the 
great sympathetic centers; this produces irrita- 



480 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

tion, with reflex disturbances of the central ner- 
vous system, which shows itself in a great variety 
of mental and nervous symptoms — coldness of 
the hands and feet, tingling and numb sensations, 
blushing of the face and head, mental dullness, 
irritability, insomnia, "fidgets" and other neur- 
asthenic miseries. The most serious structural 
and organic changes later appear in the liver and 
stomach, spleen, kidneys and blood-vessels. 

Soft Collars 

Q. Do you think it is better from a health 
standpoint for a person to wear a soft collar 
rather than a starched collar? 

A. Most assuredly. A soft collar does not 
choke the neck. The large veins are in the sides 
of the neck and the least pressure on these veins 
will interfere with the circulation of the blood, 
cause congestion, headaches, confused thoughts, 
etc. Men and women both should wear soft 
loose collars. 

High Heeled Shoes 

Q. Why is the wearing of high-heeled shoes 
injurious? 

A. High, narrow heels do not afford sufficient 
support for the foot, so that it is easily turned to 
one side, often resulting in serious sprains. The 
chief part of the weight being thrown forward 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 481 

upon the fore part of the foot, it becomes weary 
in walking much sooner than it otherwise would. 
The narrow soles which usually accompany high 
and narrow heels are likewise productive of in- 
jury, from not allowing the whole flat of the foot 
to sustain the weight of the body, as it should. 
The high heels throw the weight forward upon 
the toes, which further embarrasses them in 
their cramped condition, and greatly increases 
the injury arising from narrow toes and soles. 

Men's Clothing 

Q. We read much about the injurious ef- 
fects of women's garments; what about men's 
clothing? 

A. The clothing worn by men has generally 
the following faults: 

1. Too much clothing, which overheats the 
skin and weakens the entire body. 

2. Non-porous, or too little porous to air, 
suffocating the skin and preventing the escape 
of poisonous exhalations. 

3. Dark color, excluding the chemical and 
luminous rays of the sun, which are essential 
to health. 

4. Restriction of the movements of the 
shoulders and flattened chest from the wearing 
of suspenders. 



482 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

All these evils may be easily remedied, as fol- 
lows: 

1. Wear less clothing. Except when exposed 
to the rigors of winter weather, little more 
clothing is needed in winter than in summer, at 
least for people whose occupation is indoors. The 
average indoor temperature is at least 70° F. The 
temperature required inside the clothing is about 
86° F. To maintain this does not require a very 
great amount of clothing ; certainly not more than 
half the ordinary amount usually worn by men 
in summer; and when one has become accus- 
tomed to light clothing in summer, much lighter 
clothing may be worn in winter without discom- 
fort. 

2. Light and porous fabrics are now available 
for men's garments, as well as women's, and in 
large variety. These porous fabrics afford the 
necessary protection with half the weight, be- 
cause of the non-conducting property of the air 
which is entangled in the meshes of the cloth. 

3. White is the ideal color for all seasons, 
winter as well as summer. White garments are 
warmer in winter and cooler in summer than 
colored garments, while all the time permitting 
the passage of the life-imparting light rays of the 
sun. White is a good reflector and a poor radi- 
ator; this is the explanation of the paradox that 
in winter white prevents the loss of heat, in sum- 
mer it affords protection from exterior heat. 



Exercise 

Walking 

Q. Kindly outline a system of daily exer- 
cise for one whose health is completely broken 
down. 

A. Walking is one of the best of all exercises. 
Experiments made by an eminent English phys- 
ician show that the average man must walk nine 
miles daily on a level surface, to obtain 
the amount of exercise necessary to maintain 
health. 

The amount of exercise must, of course, be 
regulated to suit the strength. For a feeble per- 
son half a mile or a mile may be a sufficient dis- 
tance at the beginning, but the distance should be 
gradually increased as the strength increases. In 
mountain climbing, each foot of ascent counts as 
the equivalent of thirteen feet on a horizontal 
level; walking a mile is equivalent to lifting the 
body vertically four hundred feet. Hill climbing 
is an excellent means of graduated exercises, 
steeper hills being climbed as the strength in- 
creases. 



484 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Stair Climbing 

Q. Is stair climbing healthful exercise? 

A. For persons who are suffering from dis- 
ease of the heart or some other disorder which 
forbids heavy exercise, stair climbing is a very 
excellent means of obtaining a large amount of 
exercise in a short time. Suppose, for example, 
the height of the staircase to be twelve feet and 
the run sixteen feet. The labor of going up and 
down the stairs will be equivalent to walking 200 
feet and twenty-six such trips will be the 
equivalent of walking one mile. 

Exercise on All Fours 

Q. Is there any value in taking exercise on 
all fours? 

A. An eminent French physician recommends 
exercising on all fours as a means of aiding the 
stomach to evacuate the products of digestion. 

The doctor proved by x-ray examinations of 
several subjects that the stomach empties it- 
self much more rapidly in the all-fours position 
than in the upright position. The suggestion is 
made that man has not made use of the upright 
position for a sufficient length of time to enable 
his internal organs to become adapted to this 
position, which puts them at a disadvantage as 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 485 

compared with the horizontal position of our 
relatives, the higher apes. 

Breathing Exercises 

Q. What are the best breathng exercises? 
A. Breathing exercises are highly valuable 
for two purposes : 

1. To expand and develop the lungs. 

2. To aid the circulation of blood, especially 
to assist the movement of blood through the 
liver and other abdominal organs. The move- 
ments of the chest walls and diaphragm during 
inspiration create a partial vacuum in the chest 
which draws air into the lungs and the blood 
toward the heart. 

All sorts of bodily movements are breathing 
exercises because they increase respiratory ac- 
tivity. The lungs act best when a demand for 
air has been created by exercise. Walking at 
a rate a little faster than the usual gait is an ex- 
cellent means of stimulating free lung move- 
ment. Arm raising and other arm movements, 
especially the movements of swimming, expand 
the chest and improve breathing. 

Deep breathing practised with the body sup- 
ported on an inclined plane, the head low, is 
especially useful. After placing the body on an 
inclined table, which may consist of a folding 
table or an improvised table consisting of an iron- 



486 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

ing board with one end resting on the floor and 
the other resting on a chair, bed, sofa, window- 
sill or some other support, take the following ex- 
ercises : 

Exercise 1 

1. Breathe deeply while percussing and beat- 
ing the abdomen vigorously. 

Exercise 2 

2. Deep breathing, hands grasping the sides 
of the table, pull with the hands while breathing 
out. This fixes the chest in a high position and 
so secures full action of the abdominal muscles. 

Exercise 3 

3. Deep breathing, hands clasped over lower 
abdomen, pressing firmly during both inspiration 
and expiration. This strengthens the breathing 
muscles. 

Exercise 4 

While breathing deep, finger tips touching, 
make pressure upon the abdomen with the little 
finger side of the hands, starting just above the 
pubis and working slowly upward an inch or 
two at each breath. The pressure should be con- 
tinuous during expiration and inspiration. Re- 
peat six or eight times. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 487 

Swimming 

Q. Is swimming a good exercise? 

A. Swimming is unquestionably one of the 
best of all forms of exercise. It is especially 
valuable as a means of developing the lungs. The 
effect upon respiration is truly remarkable. 
During rest the amount of air which passes 
through the lungs is one to two gallons per min- 
ute. 

During vigorous exercise the quantity may 
be increased to four or five times this 
amount, but in swimming the respired air 
may reach the enormous quantity of twelve or 
thirteen gallons per minute. The consumption 
of oxygen in the body is increased in even 
greater proportion. Hence, the high value of 
swimming as a means of promoting those bodily 
changes which result in reconstruction and re- 
juvenation. This is the explanation of the great 
benefit derived from sea bathing, the value of 
which has been appreciated from the most an- 
cient times. It should be remembered, however, 
that there is no essential virtue in either the salt- 
ness of the water of the sea or the peculiar odor 
of the sea air. The real value of sea bathing is 
to be found in the exercise and the coolness of 
the water. These fine advantages may be found 
in a simple cool bath in a bathtub in every 



488 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

home. The rowing bath described elsewhere is 
of great service in increasing the value of the 
bath by stimulating the action of the lungs. 

A Full Chest 

Q. How may one develop a full chest? 

A. By cultivating the habit of sitting 
straight, holding the chest well forward, by 
swimming and other exercises in which the 
movements are executed by the arms. 

Normal Breathing 

Q. What is the normal way to breathe? 

In normal breathing the whole chest expands 
simultaneously, the chief movement being in the 
lower part of the chest and abdomen. When the 
chief movement of the chest in breathing is at 
its upper part, the diaphragm does not descend 
properly, and the necessary influence of breath- 
ing upon the blood and circulation of the ab- 
dominal organs is lost. In normal breathing the 
diaphragm, in descending, compresses the liver, 
stomach, colon and other internal organs and 
aids each of them in the performance of its 
function the rhythmical movement communi- 
cated to them. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 489 

Pure Oxygen 

Q. Is there any advantage to be derived 
from breathing pure oxygen? 

A. When breathing atmospheric air, the ar- 
terial blood takes up only 90% of the oxygen 
which it may absorb when shaken with atmos- 
pheric air. When pure oxygen is breathed the 
blood is able to take up an additional 10% of 
the oxygen, but this is of no value to the healthy 
body. Under exceptional circumstances, how- 
ever, the body is able to make use of the ad- 
ditional 10% which is absorbed when breathing 
pure oxygen. This is true, for example, in cases 
of asphyxiation when through weakness of the 
heart the breathing is embarrassed and the lips 
blue in consequence. In cases of dyspnea, pure 
oxygen gives almost instant relief. 

Correct Standing Position 

Q. How can ons know when his standing 
position is correct? 

A. In a correct standing position, a plumb 
line dropped from the ear should fall just back 
of the first joint of the great toe. Many per- 
sons stand with the hips placed so far forward 
that if a plumb line were dropped from the ear 
it would fall opposite the heel. In this position 



490 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

the chest is flattened, the abdominal muscles are 
relaxed, and the lower abdomen protrudes. In 
a correct position, the chest is carried well for- 
ward, the hips are held well back. The back is 
quite strongly concave, and the anterior wall of 
the trunk is convex. The abdominal muscles are 
well drawn in. This position may be secured 
without the aid of an instructor by the follow- 
ing method: 

Standing with the back against a wall or a 
door, brace the heels, hips, shoulders, back of 
head and the little finger side of each hand 
firmly against the wall. Now push the shoulders 
forward away from the wall, by bending the 
head backward until the eyes look straight up 
to the ceiling, keeping the heels, hips and hands 
firmly pressed against the wall so as to fix the 
muscles of the trunk; then bring the head for- 
ward away from the wall, drawing down the 
chin without allowing the shoulders to move 
backward. 

Chairs 

Q. How should a chair be constructed to be 
healthful? 

A. Many chairs are made with hollow backs 
which are in the highest degree objectionable. 
Most chairs are constructed with reference to 
artistic effects rather than to meet physiologic 
needs. The defect of the ordinary chair may be 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 491 

partially remedied by means of a cushion placed 
in such a position that it will support the hollow 

of the back. 

Sitting 

Q. Is sitting a natural attitude? 

A. Civilized man, when he desires to rest, sits 
instead of lying down, and when sitting he re- 
laxes his trunk muscles, thus permitting the 
pull of gravitation to act upon his viscera. Doctor 
Arbuthnot Lane of London, who has given much 
attention to the subject of visceral displacement, 
calls attention to the fact that the natural sitting 
position is the squatting attitude, in w r hich the re- 
laxed abdominal muscles are supported by the 
thighs. 

As we cannot return to the savage mode 
of squatting or the Oriental method of reclining, 
it is evident we must reform our chairs, and this 
process may be easily accomplished. It is only 
necessary to give the seat and the back of the 
chair a stronger inclination backward and to give 
to the back of the chair an anterior convexity, 
especially in its lower part, instead of the hollow 
which is usually seen, or the straight back which 
is nearly as bad. The defect may be remedied by 
means of a small cushion placed at the back. 



492 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Spinal Curvature and Visceral Disease 

Q. What harm results from spinal cur- 
vature ? 

A. Careful investigations made in various 
European cities have developed the startling fact 
that in most schools a large proportion of the 
students, even at an early age, have curvature of 
the spine as the result of the wrong attitudes 
assumed in sitting while at their studies. Cur- 
vature of the spine is a matter of importance 
because of the direct relation between ex- 
ternal deformities of this sort and internal dis- 
placements of the viscera, such as prolapsed 
stomach, movable kidney and prolapsed liver 
and bowels. It is strange that, among 
civilized people, so little attention is given 
to the development of a good physique and erect 
carriage of the body. Among many half-civil- 
ized tribes, as the Arabs, for example, great 
attention is given to this matter. Children are 
taught from earliest infancy to walk, sit, and 
stand erect, and as the result, spinal curvature 
is practically unknown among the children of the 
desert. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 493 

Walking Posture 

0. What is the correct walking posture? 

A. It should be borne in mind that in walk- 
ing for health purposes the aim is not to reach 
a goal as soon as possible, but to get the 
greatest possible amount of good from the ex- 
ercise. The greatest benefit derived from walk- 
ing is probably due to the acceleration of res- 
piration and the direct and indirect benefits 
which result from this increased respiratory ac- 
tion to which attention has already been called. 
For this purpose it is necessary that the breath- 
ing apparatus be put into such a position as to 
secure the highest degree of efficiency. This is 
accomplished by carrying the chest high and well 
forward, drawing in the chin. When the chest 
is raised in this manner, the effect is to render 
tense the muscles which connect the sternum and 
lower ribs with the bones of the pelvis. When 
the diaphragm descends with inspiration, the 
liver, stomach and other abdominal organs are 
compressed against the tense abdominal wall, 
and are thus emptied of the blood which ac- 
cumulates during the period of exhalation in 
which the diaphragm relaxes and ascends in 
the chest. Thus with each complete breath the 
abdominal viscera are alternately compressed 
and relaxed, a sort of massage process which 
stimulates their activities by accelerating the 



494 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

movement of blood through them and securing 
the highest degree of efficiency possible. 

When the body is poised in this manner, the 
chest well forward and the chin drawn in so 
that the weight of the body falls over the ball 
of the foot rather than over the heels, no at- 
tention to breathing will be required. It is bet- 
ter, in fact, to give no thought whatever to the 
breathing, but simply to walk, and to make the 
pace, unless the strength is too feeble to permit 
of so doing, about one-half faster than the or- 
dinary walking gait. This will require atten- 
tion and constant energizing of the muscles and 
so will considerably increase the amount of work 
done and the general effect of the exercise. 

The arms should be allowed to swing freely 
by the sides and thus to assist in walking. 
It is not possible, of course, to place the toes 
upon the ground before the heels as some writers 
have taught, but the toes should strike the ground 
so soon after the heels that the short interval 
intervening will not be noticeable. 

The clatter made by some persons in walking 
is the result of placing the heel so long in ad- 
vance of the toe that two distinct sounds with 
a considerable interval are observable which is 
sufficient evidence of a defective carriage of the 
body. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 495 

Training in Walking 

Q. How may a boy be trained in correct 
walking? 

A. The child should have daily gymnastic 
practice in correct walking. He should be shown 
how to raise the chest and carry the chest foi 

ward. The practice of carrying objects upon 
the head is a good one; but it would not be a 
good plan to put two pounds of shot in the boy's 
cap, as this would overload his head and neck 
and very likely increase the difficulty. 

The Proper Walking Gait 

0. What should be the rate of walking for 
healthful exercise? 

A. In general, chronic invalids require a con- 
siderable amount of exercise, but should avoid 
violent exercise. Walking at the rate of 2y 2 
to 3 miles an hour is about the proper gait. 



Race Statistics 

Increase of Insanity 

Q. Is insanity increasing? 

A. Mental defectives have increased within 
the last fifty years at the rate of 900 per cent 
in a century. That is, at the present, rate of 
increase, in one hundred years from the present 
time, 9 per cent of the total population will be 
insane, idiotic or imbecile. According to Doc- 
tor Davenport, mental defectives now constitute 
1 per cent of the total population. The recog- 
nition of a new class of mental defectives, the 
moron, gives us the key to a large number of 
social problems and explains the rapid increase 
of a certain type of criminals and the growing 
army of ne'er-do-wells. Of all classes of men- 
tal defectives this class is by far the most dan- 
gerous because not easily recognized except by 
experts, and so left to reproduce and increase 
without restriction. 

An eminent English alienist recently made 
the assertion that the whole human race will in 
time become insane. The writer does not share 
this pessimistic view for, notwithstanding the 
fact that at the rate at which mental defectives 
are at present increasing, the whole race would 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 497 

become insane, idiotic or imbeciles within less 
than three centuries, so sad a calamity is not 
likely to befall the human family, for long be- 
fore the race reaches the state of universal in- 
competency, the impending danger will be ap- 
preciated, the cause sought for and eliminated, 
and, through eugenics and euthenics, the mental 
soundness of the race will be saved. 

Physical Superiority of Savages 

Q. Is it true that savages have better bodies 

than civilized men? 

A. Civilization is destroying us. The civil- 
ized man has almost entirely lost his sense of 
smell, whereas the savage has a keen smell. 
It is said that certain tribes of South America 
can scent a member of another tribe rods away. 

Defective eye-sight is growing more and more 
common among civilized people. 

Moreover the savage is able to hear far bet- 
ter than the civilized man, while his sense of 
taste is superior. The savage, wandering 
through a forest, knows as soon as he plucks 
a berry or other fruit and touches it to his 
tongue whether or not it is lit to eat. The civil- 
ized man sitting down to a hotel table gives little 
consideration as to the suitability of the food, 
but eat what he finds on the menu regardless of 
consequences. 



498 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The endurance of the savage is also incom- 
parably above that of civilized man. Because of 
their extraordinary vitality savages recover from 
wounds that would prove fatal to a man with 
habits customary with civilized people. 

Longevity of Brain Workers 

Q. Is it true that most brain workers are 
short-lived? 

A. An investigation by George M. Beard 
showed that the average length of life of 500 
of the greatest men in history was fourteen years 
longer than that of the average man. 

Public Health 

Q. Is sickness increasing? 

A. Statistics gathered by Tredgold from 
various friendly societies, aggregating a mem- 
bership of nearly a million and a half, demon- 
strate that, notwithstanding the great advance 
in the prevention of disease through public 
sanitation and improvements in therapeutics, the 
average amount of sickness at all ages has 
steadily increased during the last half century. 
The report of actuaries, appointed in connec- 
tion with the National Insurance Act enacted 
by the British Government in 1911, shows the 
increase of sickness, which has occurred during 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 499 

the last thirty years in several large friendly 
societies. 

This report shows a very marked increase of 
sickness at all ages of life, from sixteen to .sev- 
enty years, ranging from fourteen per cent to 
seventy per cent, the greatest increase being at 
sixteen to nineteen years and the next greatest 
fifty-five to sixty-nine years. 

Birth Rate 

0. Is the birth rate decreasing? 

A. Professor Cattel in a recent paper, stated 
that if the decline of the birth rate continues 
during the balance of the century as rapidly as 
during the last few years, in the year 2,000 no 
babies will be born in the United States. 

The birth rate is rapidly declining in almost 
every civilized country of the globe, but espe- 
cially in the older parts of this country. 

Jews' Health 

0. Is the Jewish race healthier than other 
races? 

A. Yes, and one reason is that they have 
followed so many of the laws of hygiene for so 
many generations. They have not eaten pork, 
for example, and they have taken care to in- 
vestigate carefully all animals before they eat 
them. As a race, the Jewish people have not been 
very large eaters of meat. 



500 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Is Race Vitality Increasing 

Q. Does not an increase in the average 
length of human life show an improvement in 
the vitality of the race? 

A. While the average length of life has been 
increasing in all civilized countries within the 
last three centuries, the proportion of centena- 
rians to the total population has been diminish- 
ing. 

At the present time the most highly civil- 
ized nations have the smallest number of cen- 
tenarians, while the largest number is found 
among those people who still adhere most closely 
to the simple life. The Bulgarians, a people 
numbering only five millions, boast of 3,000 cen- 
tenarians, or one in 1,700. In Spain, the pro- 
portion is one to 40,000; in France, one to 190,- 
000; in England, one to 200,000; in Germany, 
one in 700,000. We have in this country one 
centenarian to every 25,000 of the population, 
but the number is rapidly decreasing as the 
natural result of the increased death-rate after 
middle life, due to the increasing mortality from 
chronic disease. It is inevitable that examples of 
great age will grow less and less numerous so long 
as men and women cultivate the use of alcohol, 
tobacco, tea and coffee and other poison habits. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 501 

Eugenics Registry 

Q. What is the Eugenics Registry? 

A. At the Race Betterment Conference, 
held at the Battle Creek Sanitarium of Battle 
Creek, Michigan, in January 1914, the sug- 
gestion was made that a register should be es- 
tablished to be known as the Eugenics Registry, 
which should provide for the registration of 
persons of superior mental and physical quali- 
fications, especially those descended of parents 
and grand parents of like character. Since the 
conference referred to the Registry has been or- 
ganized and is now being conducted under the 
supervision of a board consisting of the fol- 
lowing persons : 

David Starr Jordon, President Lcland Stan- 
ford University, Irving Fisher, Professor of 
economics, Yale University, C. B. Davenport, 
director of the Eugenics record office, Cold 
Spring Harbor, Luther Burbank, Santa Rosa, 
California, Doctor J. II. Kellogg, secretary, Bat- 
tle Creek, Michigan; Prof. O. C. Glaser, exec- 
utive secretary. 

Full information concerning the registry and 
the conditions of registration may be obtained by 
addressing The Eugenics Registry, Battle Creek, 
Michigan. 



502 A THOUSAND. QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Inbreeding 

Q. Should cousins marry? What is the 
effect of inbreeding? 

A. Whether or not inbreeding is injurious, 
depends upon the possession of identical defects, 
as such defective will be certain to appear in 
the children. If, on the other hand, both par- 
ents are sound physically and mentally, no such 
evil results will appear; and if both parents hap- 
pen to inherit from their ancestors a special gift, 
as a special talent for music, a genius for art or 
some other specially marked trait, the progeny 
will possess this quality in a still higher degree. 
Inbreeding may be beneficial. 

When Is a Person Old 

Q. At what age should one be considered 
old? 

A. "A man," said a famous French phy- 
siologist, "is as old as his arteries." This state- 
ment is literally true. Old age is the result of 
hardening and narrowing of the arteries, 
whereby the blood supply of the several organs 
of the body fails, the tissues shrivel, all the 
functions of the body lessen in efficiency, every 
tissue deteriorates, the body falls into decay, the 
flame of life burns gradually lower and lower 
and finally flickers out. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 503 

Old age is natural death when it occurs after 
many years of life. The natural duration of 
huma^i life is probably not less than 120 to 150 
years. There are cases on record in which per- 
sons have lived a century and a half, and there 
are numerous instances of life extension to 120 
years. There are living in the United States at 
the present time about 4,000 centenarians. It 
is probable that in the whole world there are 
living at least 20,000 people who are a hundred 
years old or more. The average length of life 
in civilized lands is only about fifty years, per- 
haps not more than one-third the normal length 
of the life for human beings. Comparatively 
few people die of old age. Hardening of the 
arteries and various diseases of the heart and 
blood-vessels which are characteristic of very 
advanced years are frequently observed in 
comparatively young persons. 

An eminent French physician remarked, "A 
man is as old as his arteries/' This is most em- 
phatically true ; but it is equally true that a man is 
as old as his liver, as old as his kidneys, as old 
as his heart. When any vital organ fails, the 
whole body collapses. 



Measurements and Strength 
of Body 

Proportions of the Ideal Man 

Q. What are the proportions of the ideal 
normal man? 

Inches 

A. Height 68. 

Sitting Height 36. 

Length of Arms , 68 . 

Circumference of Chest 34. 

Circumference of Waist (46.4 per cent) . . 31 . 5 

Height (length) of Sternum (9.5 per cent) 6.5 

Height of Abdomen 14.9 

Sternum to Umbilicus (12 per cent) 8.1 

Umbilicus to Pubes (10 per cent) 6.5 

Bi-iliac Diameter (16.6 per cent) 11.3 

Proportions of the Ideal Woman 

Q. What are the proportions of the ideal 
normal woman? 

Inches 

A. Height 64. 

Sitting Height 33.? 

Length of Arms 64. 

Circumference of Chest 32. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 505 

[nches 

Circumference of Waist (47.6 per cent) . . 30.46 
Height-length of Sternum (9.5 per cent). 6.08 

Height of Abdomen 15.48 

Sternum to Umbilicus (13.6 per cent) .... 8.7 

Umbilicus to Pubes (10.6 per cent) 6.78 

Bi-iliac Diameter (16 per cent) 10.24 

The Normal Waist Proportion 

0. What should be the size of the waist 
as compared to a woman's height? 

A. A woman's waist measurements, accord- 
ing to the proportions of the famous Venus de 
Milo, should be 47.6 per cent of the height. A 
woman requires a larger waist for the reason 
that in women the liver, stomach, spleen, kid- 
neys, pancreas and colon — all the organs which 
lie in the waist zone — are relatively larger than 
in men ; that is, they are larger in proportion 
to the body weight. This is a necessary conse- 
quence of the function of motherhood. The 
liver, stomach and other vital organs of women 
are prepared to do work for two; hence their 
larger proportionate development. The idea that 
a woman's waist must be small is an absurd 
and most pernicious error which has been 
created and propagated by fashion-mongers. 
This idea should be most earnestly combated. 
A small waist is an evidence of weakness. A 
very small waist necessarily implies prolapsed 



506 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

stomach and bowels, often a dislocated liver and 
a floating kidney. These displacements are a 
serious cause of disease. Their presence is often 
shown by protrusion of the lower abdomen and 
sinking in at the waist. 

The Energy Capacity of the Body 

Q. What is the total energy output of the 
human body each twenty-four hours? 

A. According to the most recent scientific 
estimate, the energy output of the human body 
is equivalent to one-sixth of a horse power. 

The energy value of a horsepower is 550 foot 
pounds per second, 33,000 per minute, nearly 
2,000,000 foot pounds per hour, or 48,000,000 in 
twenty- four hours. The actual average amount 
of work which a horse generally does when do- 
ing ordinary work is 21,000 foot pounds per min- 
ute or about two-thirds that of the standard 
horsepower. A mule does 10,000 foot pounds, an 
ox, 12,000, a man in sowing 4,000. A man may 
during violent exercise such as running up a stair 
case, do work equal to one horsepower. 

Metabolism studies show that the expenditure 
of energy is distinctly increased by such slight 
exercises as are involved in the sitting position. 

A person who has been lying in bed, on 
sitting up will expend twenty per cent more 
energy than when lying in bed and hence will re- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 507 

quire a distinct increase in food in proportion 
to the length of time spent in the sitting po- 
sition. That is, when a person who has been 
constantly lying in bed becomes, through con- 
valescence, able to sit up one-fourth of the time, 
it will be necessary to increase the food intake 
one-fifth. 

Required Amount of Energy Intake 

Q. What is the amount of energy required 
under different conditions of rest and work? 

A. According to the latest authorities (von 
Noorden) a man weighing 154 expends energy 
at the following rates under the conditions 
named : 

With hard work 3.500 calories and over 

With medium work 3,100 

With light skilled work 2,600 " " " 

With rest in room 2,230 

The minimal exchange 1,625 

The minimal exchange after 

food intake 1,800 

"The most muscular and best-trained indi- 
viduals do not show any greater formation of 
heat in the resting condition and during sleep 
than individuals possessing a feeble musculai 
system." 



503 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Energy Expended in Mental Work 

Q. Does hard mental work require the ex- 
penditure of a large amount of energy? 

A. It was formerly supposed that mental 
work as well as muscular work involved the ex- 
penditure of a large amount of energy and 
hence made necessary the taking of considerable 
quantities of food. It is now known, however, 
that this is an error. According to Speck, mental 
work exercises no direct influence on metabolism. 
Even intense mental activity is not accompanied 
by any considerable consumption of energy. 

Also the amount of energy consumed by the 
viscera in carrying on their work is surprisingly 
small. H. Dreser estimates that the work done 
by the kidneys in eliminating one and a half liters 
of urine requires the expenditure of only J4 °f 
one calory. There is no artificial machine which 
operates with so little friction or so high a de- 
gree of efficiency as the animal body. 

Static Muscular Work 

Q. Is actual muscular work done when 
holding a weight without moving it? 

A. Muscular contraction without work is 
properly called contracture or static muscular ac- 
tion. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 509 

When work is done, as the lifting of a weight 
or any movement of the limb, the action is 
termed dynamic. According to Beclard, static 

muscular contraction involves a greater expend 
iture of energy than dynamic contraction. 

Vital Capacity 

Q. What is meant by vital capacity? 

A. By this is meant the number of cubic 
inches of air which can be exhaled after a deep 
inspiration. This has been found to have a di- 
rect relation to the height of an individual. A 
person who is five feet and one inch in height 
has a vital capacity of 175 inches. Each in- 
dividual inch in height adds eight inches in vital 
capacity. Thus, a person measuring five feet 
eight inches high should have a vital capacity 
of 230 cubic inches. The lung capacity is meas- 
ured by means of a spirometer. The strength 
of the breathing muscles may be measured also. 

Lung Capacity 

Q. What is the normal lung capacity? 

A. The following table shows the lung ca- 
pacity in cubic inches and the strength of the 
chest measured in pounds lifting power: 



510 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 
Men Women 



Height in 


Spirometer 


Height in 


Spirometer 


Inches 


(cu. in.) 


Inches 


(cu. in.) 


72 


287 


67 


204 


71 


273 


66 


196 


' 70 


257 


65 


188 


69 


254 


64 


180 


68 


249 


63 


172 


67 


245 


62 


164 


66 


231 


61 


156 


65 


229 


60 


148 


64 


206 


59 


140 






58 


132 



Chest Strength 

Lbs. - Lbs. 



72 


360 


67 


166 


71 


345 


66 


162 


70 


330 


65 


158 


69 


315 


64 


155 


68 


300 


63 


150 


67 


290 


62 


145 


66 


270 


61 


140 


65 


255 


60 


135 


64 


233 


59 


130 






58 


125 




Body Weight 





Q. What is the normal weight of the hu- 
man body at different ages in men and women? 

A. The normal weight of the body varies, of 
course, with the height. The accompanying 
table shows the normal weights for men and 
women of different heights. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 51 1 





MEN 






WOMEN 


Height 


Weight 


Surface in 


Height 


Weight 


Surface in 


in In. 


in Pounds 


Square Ft. 


in In. 


in Pounds 


Square Ft, 


61 


131 


15.92 


59 


119 


14.82 


62 


133 


16.06 


60 


122 


15.03 


63 


136 


16.27 


61 


124 


15.29 


64 


140 


16.55 


62 


127 


15.50 


65 


143 


16.76 


63 


131 


15.92 


66 


147 


17.06 


64 


134 


16.13 


67 


152 


17.40 


65 


139 


16.48 


68 


157 


17.76 


66 


143 


16.76 


69 


162 


18.12 


67 


147 


17.06 


70 


167 


18.48 


68 


151 


17.34 


71 


173 


18.91 


69 


155 


17.64 


72 


179 


19.34 


70 


159 


17.92 


73 


785 


19.89 








74 


192 


20.33 








75 


200 


20.88 









Relation of Food to Gain in Weight 

Q. At what rate may the body safely gain 
in weight? 

A. A very rapid gain in weight is not always 
desirable. The gain observed may be due to in- 
crease of water, fat, or muscle. Fat is increased 
by an excess of food of any sort, but especially 
by excess of carbohydrates and fats. Fats are 
deposited directly, substantially as eaten. For 
every ounce of carbohydrate retained in the body, 
three ounces of water are also retained. For 
every ounce of salt, one hundred to one hundred 
and twenty ounces of water will be retained. 
Evidently the disuse of salt is important for per- 
sons who desire to lose in weight. 



512 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Body Temperature 

Q. How is the temperature of the body 
maintained? 

A. The body like all other living objects 
maintains its own standard of temperature. The 
heat generated by the body is about equal to that 
produced by a 16 C.P. carbon filament lamp or 
the amount which would be generated by the 
complete combustion of ten ounces of oil. The 
source of this heat is the oxidation of combustion 
of food which serves the body as fuel just as coal 
serves a locomotive. The normal temperature of 
the interior of the body is about 100°, of the 
mouth 98.2° F. 

How Body Heat Is Regulated 

Q, By what means is the heat production 
of the body regulated? 

A. The temperature of the interior of the 
body is constantly maintained at 100° F. not- 
withstanding the fact that constant loss is tak- 
ing place by the radiation of heat from the body 
as well as by contact of the skin with the air 
and other bodies of lower temperature. This 
heat loss is constantly taking place. The rate 
of heat loss depends then chiefly upon the ex- 
tent of the body surface. A constant loss of heat 
is taking place by radiation from the surface of 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 513 

the body and by contact of the body with the air, 
but the chief loss of heat occurs through the 
evaporation of the insensible perspiration. 

The loss of heat is lessened by the clothing 
which maintains underneath at a temperature of 
about 86° F., the neutral air temperature. In an 
atmosphere of 86° no clothing would be needed 
for warmth. 

When heat production is increased, as by ex- 
ercise, the vessels of the skin dilate, the skin red- 
dens, more blood is brought to the surface and 
perspiration is increased, and thus the body is 
more rapidly cooled, and a rise of temperature 
prevented. When the surroundng air. is above 
86° the heat of the body tends to accumulate and 
so perspiration is increased to prevent over-heat- 
ing. 

When the body is exposed to cold, the vessels 
of the skin contract and so heat loss is checked, 
if the heat loss is so great as to lower the temper- 
ature of the blood a chill occurs with shivering, 
which is nature's method of warming the body up 
by setting the muscles to work. 

Rubbing the skin prevent.-, chill by stimulating 
the circulation. 

Exercise is the most efficient means of stim- 
ulating heat production. All mechanical work 
done by the body is accompanied by the pro- 
duction of heat. In general, twice as much energy 
is expended in heat production as in the external 



514 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

work done. In violent exercise the production of 
heat is so rapid that the temperature of the body 
may rise as much as two or three degrees. Strong 
swimmers are able to remain in ice water for one 
hour or more. 

The Strength of Men and Women 

Q. What is the total strength of normal 
men and women? 

A. The accompanying table shows the strength 
of the principal groups of muscles in the average 
man and average woman together with the total 
strength. 

Hand Flexors 249. \2S. .50 

Hand Extensors 54. 29. .53 

Forearm Supinators 143. 57. .39 

Forearm Pronators 134. 57. .42 

Arm Flexors 120. AS. .40 

Arm Extensors 127. 53. .41 

Latissimus Dorsi 185. 99. .55 

Deltoid 140. 71. .50 

Pectoral 209. 102. .48 

Shoulder Retractors 160. 95. .59 

Foot Extensors 614. 364. .59 

Foot Flexors 145. 89. .61 

Leg Flexors 200. 116. .58 

Leg Extensors 237. 123. .51 

Thigh Flexors 303. 179. .59 

Thigh Extensors 330. 174. .52 

Thigh Abductors 206. 135. .65 

Thigh Adductors 227. 142. .62 

Trunk Anterior 139. 73. .52 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 515 

Trunk Posterior 380. 173. .45 

Trunk Lateral— R. and L 2^7. 154. '54 

Neck Anterior 35. 19 '54 

Neck Posterior 75. 37. '49 

Xeck Lateral— R. and L 126; 60. A7 

Inspiration— Waist 172. 79. .45 

Inspiration— Chest 190. 85. .44 

Inspiration — Pncumatomcter .9 .4 .44 

Expiration — Pneumatometer 2.6 1.4 .54 

Arms 

Right 770. 373. .48 

Left 751. 363. .48 

Legs^ 

Right 1131. 663. .58 

Left 1131. 659. .58 

Trunk 1042. 516. .49 

Chest 365. 166. .45 

Totals 

Men Women 

Strength of Arms 1521 736 

Strength of Legs 2262 1322 

Strength of Trunk 1042 516 

Strength of Chest 362 166 

Strength of Entire Body 5197 2740 

Comparative Strength of Men and Women 

Q. What is the comparative strength of 
men and women? 

A. The following table shows the compar- 
ative strength of the several groups of muscles 
in the average man as compared to those of the 
average woman. 



516 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 



Men 

Neck Anterior 35 

Hand Extensors 54 

Neck Posterior 75 

Arm Flexors 120 

Neck Lateral 126 

Arm Extensors ; 127 

Forearm Pronators 134 

Trunk Anterior 139 

Deltoid 140 

Forearm Supinators ^ 143 

Foot Flexors T 145 

Shoulder Retractors 160 

Inspiration (waist) 172 

Latissimus Dorsi 185 

Inspiration (chest) 190 

Leg Flexors 200 

1 high Abductors ; 206 

Pectoral 209 

Thigh Adductors '. 227 

Leg Extensors 237 

Hand Flexors 249 

Trunk Lateral 287 

Thigh Flexors 303 

Thigh Extensors 330 

Chest 365 

Trunk Posterior 380 

Foot Extensors 614 

Left Arm 751 

Right Arm 770 

Trunk 1042 

Right Leg 1131 

Left Leg 1131 

Chest and Trunk 1407 

Both Arms 1521 

Both Legs 2262 

Entire Body 5190 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 517 



Women 

Muscles of Inspiration (pneumatometcr) 4 

Muscles of Expiration (pneumatometer) 1.4 

Neck Anterior 19 

Hand Extensors 29 

Neck Posterior 37 

Arm Flexors 48 

Arm Extensors 53 

Forearm 57 

Forearm Pronators 57 

Neck Lateral 60 

Deltoid 71 

Trunk Anterior 73 

Inspiration (waist) 79 

Inspiration (chest) 85 

Foot Flexors 89 

Shoulder Retractors 95 

Latissimus Dorsi 99 

Pectoral 102 

Leg Flexors 116 

Leg Extensors 123 

Hand Flexors 125 

Thigh Abductors 135 

Thigh Adductors 142 

Trunk Lateral 154 

Chest 166 

Trunk Posterior 173 

Thigh Extensors 174 

Thigh Flexors 179 

Left Arm 363 

Foot Extensors 364 

Right Arm 373 

Trunk 516 

Left Leg 659 

Right Leg 663 

Chest and Trunk 682 

Both Arms 736 

Both Legs 1322 

Entire Body 2740 



General Hygiene 

Dust 

Q. Of what does atmospheric dust con- 
sist? 

A. The dust of the air has many sources. In 
cities it consists largely of the excreta of ani- 
mals dried in the sun and powdered by the 
traffic of the street. Dust is most abundant in 
large cities. In London one cubic inch of air 
contains over two million dust particles. Even 
the air of the ocean, far from land, may con- 
tain from ten thousand to thirty thousand dust 
particles per cubic inch. The air of high moun- 
tains is the freest from dust. Even the purest 
mountain air observed was found to contain 
1500 dust particles to the cubic inch. Scientists 
have discovered that all space is filled with very 
minute particles — cosmic dust produced by the 
destruction of meteorites. At a distance of 
fifteen miles above the earth, the atmosphere 
may contain quantities of volcanic dust. 

Street dust is highly dangerous. It should 
be suppressed by frequent and thorough street 
flushing. The accumulation of house dust 
should be prevented by a vacuum cleaner. The 
old fashioned broom and the feather duster 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 519 

should be discarded as excellent dust dis- 
tributors. The inhalation of dust is highly in- 
jurious, not only because ordinary dust consists 
very largely oi disease germs but also because 
of the irritation produced bj the accumulation 
of dust in the lung tissues. The lungs of coal 
miners are nearly as black as coal. The lungs 
of stone cutters are full of grit. 

Ventilation 

0. What is the best means of ventilating 
a room? 

A. Window ventilation when properly man- 
aged is not only highly efficient hut very satis- 
factory. It must be remembered that two open- 
ings must be supplied, an entrance and an exit 
for the air. This may be accomplished by a sin- 
gle window by lowering the window at the top 
and raising it at the bottom. The chief objection 
to this plan is that unpleasant drafts are likely 
to be experienced. In cold weather this may be 
a matter of considerable gravity. There are two 
very simple methods of obviating this difficulty: 

1. The window board. 

A thin board six or eight inches wide is 
fastened across the bottom of the window open- 
ing resting on the sill and made tight at each end. 
Xow when the window is raised the movement 
of air will strike against this board and will 



520 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

he deflected toward the ceiling. An incoming 
current after passing several feet in an upward 
direction will gradually mix with the air and 
thus draft will be obviated. 

2. The window screen. 

This consists of a frame covered with muslin 
one or two feet wide fitted into the window open- 
ing tight against the lower sash. When the low :r 
sash is raised the air rapidly filters in without 
producing a draft. The screen has also the ad- 
vantage that in windy weather it will exclude 
dust. 

Window Tent 

Q. Is the window-tent a good thing? 

A. The window-tent is certainly an excellent 
means of securing pure, cold air during sleep in 
the cold months. 

Air Moisture 

Q. Is it necessary to add moisture to the 
air in cold weather? 

A. There is good evidence for believing that 
the addition of moisture to air which is un- 
usually dry is a matter of great importance to 
persons in health, as also to those suffering with 
certain forms of disease, particularly pulmonary 
difficulties. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 521 

The air should not be saturated, but should 
contain sufficient moisture SO that it will not cause 
unpleasant dryness of the throat, eyes, ami skin. 
The requisite amount of moisture may be ob- 
tained by evaporation of moisture in open vessels 
upon the stove, in a pan provided for it in the 
furnace, by means oi moistened linen cloths or 
sponges placed before registers, and in a variety 
of other ways. Attention to this point is parti- 
cularly necessary in winter, when out-of-door air, 
on account of its low temperature, contains a 
much smaller proportion of moisture than at most 
other times. 

Another convenient method of moistening the 
air in houses which are heated by steam is to 
have a jet placed in the fresh air intake. The 
amount of moisture required in average cold 
winter weather is considerable. 

In the warm season of the year the degree 
of saturation of outdoor air and that within doors 
is about the same. In the winter season, how- 
ever, owing to the higher temperature of in-doors, 
it is very much drier unless watery vapor Is 
added by artificial means. This is owing to the 
fact that air acquires by increase of temperature 
a greater capacity for absorbing moisture. 



522 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Fireplace Ventilation 

Q. Does an open fireplace afford sufficient 
ventilation ? 

A. A fireplace is a good ventilator, and will 
aid in supplying an abundance of fresh air, pro- 
vided a window is open in the room to create a 
current. 

It is important that the fireplace should 
have a good draft. An open coal or wood fire 
is in every way preferable to a gas fire. When 
installed in the usual way, gas grates are very un- 
healthful. 

Gas Heating 

Q. Is gas-heating of rooms healthful? 

A. A living-room sihould never be heated 
with gas unless care is taken to thoroughly re- 
move the products of combustion, so that none of 
them are mixed with the air of the room. The 
gas stove has been responsible for many deaths. 
The same applies to oil stoves. 

In any room where gas or oil stoves are burn- 
ing, there must be an open window. Open the 
window at the top, and also insert a window 
board under the lower sash so air can enter the 
room between the lower and upper sashes. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 523 

Furnace Heat 

Q. Is furnace heat wholesome? 

A. Yes, if the furnace is a good one, and does 

not leak smoke or gas. The air may be too 

dry. 

There should be a water pan in the furnace, 
and this should be kept supplied with water. 
Care should be taken to bring fresh air to the 
furnace from out of doors, and not from the 
basement, cellar, or front ball. 

The House Fly 

O. What diseases are communicated by 
the common house fly? 

A. Modern scientific research has demon- 
strated that the house fly is a carrier of many 
different kinds of germs which are productive 
of disease. 

Among the various diseases which have 
been proven to be communicable through the 
medium of the house fly arc the following: 
tuberculosis, typhoid fever, scarlet fever, the 
dysenteries, cholera, tetanus, eye contagions, an- 
thrax, glanders, infantile paralysis, diphtheria, 
meningitis, leprosy, bubonic plague, carbui 
infected wounds, erysipelas, and the eggs of para- 
sitic worms. 



524 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The Dangerous Fly 

Q. How do flies distribute disease? 

A. The fly may distribute disease in three 
special ways : 

1. By the germs clinging to its feet, legs, 
wings, and proboscis. 

2. Its body, when covered with bacteria, 
may cause infection when crushed or drowned, 
if it falls upon or into anything that goes into 
any person's mouth. 

3. By its excreta. Investigation has shown 
that most germs pass unharmed through a fly's 
body. The annoying fly specks, always the bane 
of the housekeeper, are known danger spots. 

The fly feeds on filth, and it also breeds in 
filth. It makes filth, it wallows in filth, and the 
filth clings to its feet, legs, wings, and body. 
It carries filth to everything it touches, and not 
only filth, but the germs of many deadly diseases 
that abound in filth. 

There is only one radical cure — absolute clean- 
ness. The number of flies indoors may be lessened 
by the prohibitory measure of screening the house 
windows and doors, and this should be done early. 

Keep foods of every sort and particularly milk 
in screened enclosures or safes. See to it that 
garbage cans are kept closely covered, that they 
are emptied daily and well scrubbed before be- 
ing used again, or that the collector gives clean 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 525 

ones in exchange. To make assurance double 
sure add a tablespoonful of copperas to a pail 
of water and sprinkle about the place where 
the garbage can is kept. A sprinkling of chlorid 
of lime serves the same end. Do this to every 
moist nook and refuse pile appearing to offer a 
breeding place for flies. Treat vaults by a 
plentiful use of dry earth at all times and at 
least once a week to a thorough sprinkling with 
crude petroleum or copperas. 

The only sure way to insure freedom from 
flies, is to prevent their breeding and to hold 
forth no attraction for them. 

Mosquitoes 

Q. What measures are effectual in destroy- 
ing mosquitoes? 

A. The mosquito requires still, shallow water 
for breeding. A little kerosene, just enough to 
coat the surface sprayed over pools and pud- 
dles, ponds, rain barrels and other water fre- 
quented by mosquitoes is an efficient remedy. 
Not only is it destructive to the larvae, but the 
grown insect will not lay her eggs on oiled 
water. 

All breeding places should be done away with. 
Drain or fill in the pools, ditches and depressions 
where water stands. Even post holes and cow- 
tracks should receive attention. Wherever a cup- 



526 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

ful of water can stagnate, there mosquitoes can 
breed. 

Treat with oil all standing water that can- 
not well be drained or screened. Sprinkle or 
spray the oil over the surface till all the water is 
covered with an unbroken film of it. An ounce 
of oil may thus be spread over ten or fifteen 
square feet of water surface. For small areas it 
may be poured on the water. The oil must be re- 
newed at least every three weeks. Rain or wind 
that ruffles the water surface may make a renewal 
necessary sooner. Standing water for house use, 
as the cistern, rain barrels and tanks may be pro- 
tected by screens. The precaution must be taken, 
however, to clean away weeds, grass and bushes 
from the margin of the water that there be no 
hiding places for adult insects and no harborage 
for wigglers, where they will be inaccessible to 
the fishes. 

The banks of brooks should be evened so as 
to do away with any marshy places or pockets 
where water can stagnate. 

Indoor Life 

Q. Why is indoor life productive of dis- 
ease? 

A. Man is naturally an out-of-door dweller. 

Trees, shrubs, plants of all sorts, die in the 

ordinary house. No plant, and few lower ani- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 527 

mals, can long survive the conditions which pre- 
vail in the ordinary modern house. The bad 
air, excessive heat, varying temperature, and lack 
of sunlight, are deadly enemies of life. Plants 
droop, their leaves wither, their flowers fade, 
buds fail to open, seeds do not form, growth 
is stunted, and finally there come death and 
decay. 

Animals lose their vivacity, cease to grow, 
produce either no young at all or weakly, weaz- 
ened offspring, become puny, scrawny, rickety, 
often tuberculous. 

The modern house, the office, the counting 
room, the factory, the store, the schoolhouse, 
as well as the sweat shop and the crowded 
tenement, — these are all incubators, breeding- 
places of disease and death. 

Artesian Water 

Q. Is artesian water always certain to be 
pure? 

A. Artesian water is generally free from 
bacteria and its use is comparatively safe. Very 
deep artesian wells are practically always safe, 
but artesian wells which do not penetrate the 
rock for a considerable distance may be con- 
taminated by surface water. 



528 A THOUSAND; QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Softening Water 

Q. How may water be softened for domes- 
tic use? 

A. Hard water contains lime and usually 
magnesia, sometimes also iron. By the addi- 
tion of "quick lime" and soda ash in proper 
proportion most of these chemicals are ren- 
dered insoluble, and appear as a sediment. 
After standing a few hours the water becomes 
clear. The right proportions of lime and soda 
ash must be determined in each case by a 
chemical analysis of the water to be softened. 
Water is softened to some extent by boiling. 

Typhoid Germs in Water 

Q. Can water containing typhoid fever 
germs be rendered safe for drinking 
or culinary purposes? 

A. Researches conducted by the United 
States government and other reliable authorities 
have in recent years demonstrated that water 
infected to such a degree as to be highly dan- 
gerous if used for drinking purposes may be 
rendered safe by the addition of liquid chlorine 
or hypochlorite of lime or so-called chloride of 
lime. Chlorine destroys the dangerous elements 
without imparting to the water any injurious 
properties. Chlorine is one of the constituents 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 529 

of the gastric juice and is not harmful in the 
quantities which are found efficient for the pu- 
rification of water. To be reliable, this method 
must be employed under the supervision of an 
experienced chemist. When thus used it has 
proven very successful and has stopped typhoid 
epidemics in many communities. This method 
should be regarded, however, only as a tempor- 
ary expedient to be employed only until a pure 
water supply can be secured. 

Alkali in Water 

Q. Is water which contains alkali injuri- 
ous when used for drinking and cooking pur- 
poses? 

A. Waters containing alkalis are always 
more or less injurious when used internally. 
Such water should not be used habitually. 

Water Testing 

Q. How may water be tested for purity? 

A. There are no simple tests for pure water 
for home use which can be relied upon. The 
water must be sent to a bacteriological labor- 
atory for careful examination. Chemical tests 
are not sufficient. Water which, as tested chem- 
ically, may seem perfectly pure, may be deadly 
because of the presence of germs which could 



530 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

not be detected except by bacteriological an- 
alysis. Any State board of health will an- 
alyze water. 

Water Sterilization 

Q. How long should water boil in order 
to become sterilized? 

A. Perfect sterilization of water requires 
heating for half an hour at a temperature of 240° 
F.', but this is rarely necessary. The dan- 
gerous disease germs likely to be found in water, 
such as typhoid and cholera germs, are de- 
stroyed by boiling for ten or fifteen minutes. 
The spores of dysentery germs may survive boil- 
ing, however, requiring a higher temperature for 
their destruction. 

Rain Water 

Q. How can one make sure of collecting 
rainwater so it will be pure? 

A. Rainwater is always more or less impure 
as it collects dust by passing through the air. 
Considerably more dust and filth is collected 
from the roof. The quality of rainwater can 
be greatly improved by permitting the first water 
which falls to escape. Rainwater is not likely 
to be contaminated by any sort of roofing mater- 
ial in common use. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 531 

Vaccination 

0. Does vaccination prevent smallpox? 

A. Vaccination unquestionably mitigates the 
evils of small-pox. When proper care is taken 
to perform vaccination with good virus, there is 
very little chance, indeed, of any ill consequences 
arising from it. 

Disinfection of Clothing 

Q. How may infected clothing be disin- 
fected? 

A. There are many ways in which clothing 
may be disinfected. The best method is heating 
in a steam sterilizer for half an hour. Another 
is to boil for one hour in a saturated solution 
of common salt. The addition of salt will raise the 
temperature a few degrees above boiling point 
and insure thorough destruction of disease germs 
and germ spores. 

Still another very excellent method is form- 
alin fumigation. The articles may be placed in 
a small room or closet, or in a box especially 
prepared for the purpose, and exposed to the 
fumes of formalin by burning a formalin candle 
within the enclosure. Such candles can be ob- 
tained at any drug-store, and are accompanied 
by full directions for their use. 



Dietetics 

Oatmeal in Diabetes 

Q. Is a diet of oatmeal useful in diabetes? 

A. Experiments of Von Noorden and his as- 
sistants have shown that oatmeal is often util- 
ized better by diabetics than other forms of 
carbohydrates, especially as compared with 
bread. It is important to observe, however, that 
the beneficial effects of oatmeal are noticed only 
when the meal is prepared in the form of a por- 
ridge. All advantage of oatmeal disappears 
when it is used in baked preparations. The reason 
for this difference may be found in the fact 
that the high temperature of the oven destroys 
the vitamines,- which are present in raw meal and 
in oatmeal porridge. 

Meat Diet in Tuberculosis 

Q. Is meat diet beneficial in tuberculosis? 

A. Richet proposed and strongly advocated 
a diet of raw meat for tuberculosis patients. A 
few years ago a sanatorium was opened in Bel- 
gium for the special purpose of treating pa- 
tients by this method. At the end of three 
months the enterprise was abandoned, the pro- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 533 

moters declaring that "there was no efficacy 
whatever in the method." The writer has had fre- 
quent occasion to note the pernicious effects of a 
long-continued flesh dietary. In one case of renal 
disease the arterial degeneration associated with 
the malady was evidently encouraged, and the pa- 
tient died of apoplexy after pursuing the diet for 
three years, although still under fifty years of 
age. 

Meat Broths and Typhoid Fever 

Q. Why are meat broths objectionable in 
typhoid fever? 

A. In relation to the diet of typhoid fever 
patients, it is interesting to note that the discov- 
ery that flesh foods of all sorts are objec- 
tionable in this disease is not by any means a 
modern discovery. Doctor J. B. Nichols con- 
tributed to the Medical Record some years ago 
an article in which extremely interesting histor- 
ical facts were compiled. It seems that in the 
eighteenth century flesh foods of all sorts were 
excluded from the dietary of fever patients, 
the belief being that the use of animal foods 
increased the fever and encouraged intestinal 
putrefaction. Eggs, broths, beef tea, meat ex- 
tracts, as well as meats, were rigidly excluded, 
the diet being exclusively vegetable in char- 
acter. 

Broussais regarded broths as especially harm- 



534 A THOUSAND; QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

ful, and allowed only mucilaginous or acidulated 
drinks. 

Milk is especially objectionable in. typhoid 
fever on account of the danger of the forma- 
tion and accumulation in indigestible curds. The 
great deficiency of digestive secretions in this 
disease, and especially the lack of ability to digest 
proteins, favors the accumulation of undigested 
curds in the bowel and an increase of intestinal 
putrefaction in consequence. 

Vegetable Diet and Uric Acid 

Q. What foods other than flesh and tea are 
most likely to produce uric acid in the system? 

A. Asparagus, peas, beans, and lentils con- 
tain small amounts of uric acid, but the amount 
contained in these vegetable foods is very small 
compared with that found in meats, and it is 
very doubtful whether the moderate use of these 
articles can do any harm. 

Diet in Gases of Kidney or Bladder Stone 

Q. What is the proper diet for a person 
suffering from a stone in the kidney or blad- 
der? 

A. Kidney stones and most bladder stones 
are due to an excess of uric acid in the system. 
Hindhede of Copenhagen has shown that the 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 535 

urine of a person living upon a diet largely 
composed of potatoes is capable of dissolving 
forty or fifty times as much uric acid as 
that of a person living on a mixed diet, while 
the urine of persons using meat frequently will 
dissolve no uric acid at all. This observation 
suggests that a person suffering from stone in 
the kidney or bladder should adopt a dietary 
consisting chiefly of fruits and vegetables, sub- 
stituting potatoes for bread and other cereals. 
Care should be taken to keep the bowels open. 
They should move at least three times a day. 
Water should be taken freely; two or three 
quarts daily. For radical relief a surgical op- 
eration is necessary. After such an operation 
the dietary suggested should be carefully fol- 
lowed to prevent a return of the calculi. 

Diet for Hyperacidity 

Q. What food is good for one who has ex- 
cessive acidity of the stomach? 

A. Cereals or fresh vegetables of all sorts 
may be freely eaten together with sweet fruits, 
such as bananas, sweet apples and pears. Olive 
oil and in most cases sweet cream may be used 
rather freely with advantage. Many persons 
find themselves entirely relieved of hyperacidity 
by the use of one or two tablespoonsful of olive 
oil at each meal. In cases of extreme hyper- 



536 A THOUSAND; QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

acidity it is well to take the food in the form of 
a puree as much chewing increases the production 
of hydrochloric acid. Persons suffering from 
hyperacidity already have too much acid in the 
stomach and so must carefully avoid everything 
which increases acid production, and for this rea- 
son the use of pepper and other condiments 
should be avoided. It is also necessary to avoid 
the use of meats, broths and thin soups. 

Grape Cure 

Q. Is the grape cure beneficial? 

A. The so-called "grape cure" is much prac- 
tised in Switzerland where it has been in use 
for many centuries. It was recommended by 
Dujardin-Beaumetz and others for cases of 
dyspepsia, especially when accompanied by con- 
stipation, and in gout it is very useful. 

It is also valuable in chronic diarrhea of dys- 
enteric origin. Chronic cystitis is benefited by the 
alkaline carbonates developed by the vegetable 
acids of the fruit, but in such cases, care must be 
taken that the grapes are ripe. Cardiac af- 
fections are relieved by the laxative and diuretic 
action, while almost all patjents are benefited by 
the fresh air, exercise, and early rising which the 
rules of the "cure" involve. Grapes grown on 
volcanic soil are said to have a more markedly 
stimulant and diuretic action than others. As to 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 537 

the amount, Dujardin-Beaumetz recommends 

tients to take as much as they possibly can with- 
out exciting disgust. The duration of the cure 
is from one to three months. 

Doctor Pecholier, ^i Montpelier, calls attention 
(Dietetic and Hygiene Gazette') to the diur- 
etic action of fresh grapes. In two cases — one a 
patient with cardiac disease, and the other with 
hepatic cirrhosis accompanied by ascites the 
"grape cure" was used with excellent results. 
In the first case five pounds of grapes were 
eaten daily, and the diuretic effects produced 
were much more satisfactory than when milk, 
digitalis, or iodide of potassium were used. 

Fruit Diet 

Q. Why is a fruit diet said to be antitoxic? 

A. More than ten years ago Kitasato and 
Van Ermengen demonstrated experimentally 

that citric acid and other fruit acids are | 
sessed of very active germicidal properties. The 
typhoid bacillus and also the bacillus of cholera 
were destroyed by a one-half per cent solution 
of citric acid. Malic acid, the acid of the ap- 
ple, was found equally efficient 

The idea of using fruit juices in cases of 
gastrointestinal autoinfc 

new. A Doctor more than a century 

reported cases of >ick headache successfully 



538 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

treated by giving the patient a glassful of 
apple cider before each meal. The character 
of the food certainly makes a very marked dif- 
ference in cases of this sort. For example, in 
the case of a meal consisting of scraped beef 
prepared and cooked in the usual way bacter- 
iological examinations made of the stomach fluid 
showed twenty-five thousand bacteria per drop, 
although after a sterile meal no bacteria at all 
were found. In the same case a test meal of 
cheese gave seventy million colonies to the ounce 
of stomach fluid. These observations led the 
writer to adopt more than a dozen years 
ago in the treatment of all cases of gastrointes- 
tinal affection an antiseptic (Dujardin-Beau- 
metz), or rather an antitoxic or atoxic dietary, 
from which meat, eggs, and in some cases even 
milk, are wholly excluded. 

Diet During Pregnancy 

Q. Please suggest a diet to be observed 
during pregnancy? 

A. The diet of an expectant mother should 
not differ essentially from that of any other 
person in ordinary health except that special 
pains should be taken to keep the bowels mov- 
ing at least three times a day and so regulate 
the diet that the stools will not have a putrid 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 539 

odor. Neglect of tins precaution has caused seri- 
ous and even fatal complications. An antitoxic 

diet is important. 

Diet in Bright's Disease 

Q. Is a low protein diet advisable in 
Bright's disease? 

A. Yon Noorden, one of the most emin- 
ent medical authorities, has called attention to 
the fact, also pointed out by Senator and other 
physiologists, that in cases of Bright's disease 
the protein in the diet should be vert greatly re- 
duced. The reason for this is that in all cases 
of Bright's disease the ability of the kid- 
neys to remove the protein wastes from 
the body is greatly diminished. A diet 
low in protein, as von Noorden says, "puts less 
strain on the diseased organs." This eminent 
authority adds : "I must not conclude without re- 
minding my readers that it is the theory of many 
physicians that nephritic patients should be given 
a diet poor in proteins (Senator, F. Hirschfield, 
Albu, and others). Xo doubt this is true for 
acute nephritis and for the acute relapses of 
chronic nephritis, as I have emphasized else- 
where. For two years I have been of the opin- 
ion that in acute and dangerous cases none 
should be given in the food. I have given 
nothing but sugar-water and fruit-juice for 



540 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

from three to eight days at a stretch. It was my 
impression that this form of treatment was very 
useful, and that uremic symptoms were obviated, 
or if already present, were removed." 

Von Noorden adds further, "I am of the 
opinion that the protein intake should be re- 
duced to the lowest possible limit in acute neph- 
ritis." 

Such a diet requires the elimination of meats 
of all sorts and in most cases eggs must also be 
forbidden. 

We might also add that even a milk diet is 
often too rich in protein. It is highly important 
that when the inflammation is at the worst in the 
acute stages of the disease, nothing should be 
given but sugar-water (preferably malt sugar) 
to the amount of five or six ounces of sugar daily 
together with strained rice gruel to which a little 
cream or butter is added. 

Fever Diet 

Q. What is the best diet for a fever pa- 
tient? 

A. This is a most important question. The 
diet generally recommended is milk. In many 
fevers, especially typhoid fever, it would hardly 
be possible to make a worse selection. Meat 
broths, beef juice, etc., are still less wholesome, 
but a milk diet is without doubt in large degree 
responsible for the diarrhea, the coated tongue, 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 541 

and many of the worst symptoms characteristic 
of this disease. 

If milk is taken at all in fever, it should be 
in the form of buttermilk or kumyss; but it is 
better to discard milk and to administer anti- 
toxic foods. For the first three or five days a 
diet of fruit juices will be amply sufficient. The 
patient may be allowed to take all he wants of 
natural fruit juices, such as apple juice, grape 
juice, orange juice, etc. The addition of cane 
sugar is objectionable. Honey and the sweet 
syrup obtained by stewing raisins in a small 
amount of water are far better and more whole- 
some than cane sugar for sweetening purposes. 

After the first day or two a rather liberal diet 
may be adopted, but it must consist chiefly of 
fruits and vegetables. Cereals may be used in 
moderation. 

The best cereals are oatmeal and cornmeal 
cooked not more than ten minutes. The addition 
of bran does no harm and aids bowel action. Fats 
must be used very sparingly on account of their 
effect upon gastric secretion. 

The vegetables must be given in the form of 
purees, and if nuts, either in the form of purees 
or fruit pieces. The addition of malt sugar to 
acid fruits, as also to fruit juices, is highly ad- 
vantageous. 



542 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The Antitoxic Diet 

Q. Please give the Antitoxic Diet List 
used at the Battle Creek Sanitarium. 

A. The following is a copy of diet lists in 
use at the Sanitarium: 

Antitoxic Dietary No. 1 

Gruels 
Cereals Taro 

Dextrinized Foods 

Oatmeal Granola 

Cornmeal Browned rice 

Cream of Wheat Brose 

Toasted wheat flakes Rusk 

Toasted corn flakes Breakfast toast 

Granose biscuit Dry toast 

Toasted rice flakes Gluten Gruel 

Rice biscuit Infant food 

Shredded wheat biscuit Popped corn 

Malted Foods 

Granuto Malted nuts 

Meltose 

Salads 

Vegetable Fruit 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 543 

Broths and Soups without Cream 

Vegetables without Cream or Milk 

Fresh Fruits and Fruit Juices 

Apples (should be mellow) Raspberry juice 
Bananas (should be Blackberry juice 

very ripe) Apple juice 

Melons Fruit sauces 

Grape juice 

Sterilized butter in small amount 

Antitoxic Dietary No. 2 

The Same as No. 1 with the Addition of 

Yogurt Cottage cheese 

Leben Cream curd 

Buttermilk Whey 

Kumyss Yolks of eggs 

Kumyzoon Sterilized butter 
Kefir 

Articles Which Must Always Be Avoided 

Meats of all sorts Tea 

Fish, oysters, shellfish Coffee 

Lobsters and crabs Cocoa 

Eggs, except the yolks Chocolate 
Condiments, excepting salt in very small amount ; 
never mustard, pepper, or vinegar. 



544 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

In very severe cases No. 1 is used, and as the 
patient recovers, No. 2 is added. The bacteria 
which produce intestinal autointoxication thrive 
best in the medium in which animal protein 
is abundant. They do not thrive well in vege- 
table protein. 

Effects of a Meat Diet 

Q. What are the effects of an excessive 
meat diet? 

A. Bouchard's investigations long ago demon- 
strated that flesh foods contain tissue-toxins in 
large quantities. Bouchard, Roger, Brieger, and 
a host of others have carefully studied these 
poisons, and demonstrated their toxic character. 
Both Voix and Metchnikoff are authority for the 
statement that these flesh poisons are capable of 
producing changes in the visceral walls, the liver, 
spleen, and other structures. 

Numerous other facts which have come to 
light within the past few years point in the 
same direction, and lead to the conclusion that 
the free use of flesh food in the dietary of 
human beings may be, in part at least> respon- 
sible for subtle changes in the human organism 
which lay the foundation for many chronic sys- 
temic disorders, the origin of which has been 
recognized as more or less obscure. The eti- 
ology of such maladies as chronic nephritis, he- 
patic sclerosis, pernicious anemia, chronic intes- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 545 

tinal catarrh, various skin disorders, and a 
multitude of so-called nervous diseases has been 
by no means clear. For some time back the 
opinion has been gaining ground among investi- 
gators that these maladies are due to the influence 
of poisons circulating in the blood and exercis- 
ing a pernicious influence upon special organs 
because of unusual contact or special suscepti- 
bility. In Watson's experiments a rat fed for 
three weeks upon an exclusive diet of meat and 
water died from autointoxication with atrophy 
of the thyroid gland. It must be admitted that 
human beings who habitually subject themselves 
to the influence of the same subtle poisons by 
the free use of flesh foods must suffer deleter- 
ious effects therefrom. 

More than this, Chittenden has recently shown 
that the average civilized human being habitually 
eats at least two or three times as much pro- 
tein as his bodily requirements demand. The 
excess of protein thus absorbed is all converted 
into toxic substances, which must enormously 
overtax the liver, kidneys, and other poison- 
eliminating structures, besides exposing all the 
tissues of the body to the deteriorating influ- 
ence of an excess of toxic substances in the 
blood. Persons who make free use of meat — 
a very large class, including most of those who 
live habitually at hotels and restaurants — in- 
dulge in a still greater excess of protein, the 



546 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

amount often rising to five or six times the 
normal quantity, or even more. The deterior- 
ating influence of such a diet is seen in nervous 
headaches, mental depression, insomnia, ner- 
vous irritability, various forms of rheumatism 
and gout, neuralgia, neurasthenia, and a multi- 
tude of complex forms of ill health difficult to 
classify because of the interminable mixture of 
symptoms pointing toward a general vital de- 
pression. 

When the amount of protein is reduced to 
normal limits, flesh food is almost of necessity 
eliminated from the dietary, for the reason that 
most cereal foods contain an ample proportion 
of the protein element, while the legumes, — 
peas, beans, and lentils, — supplemented if neces- 
sary by milk and eggs, furnish excess of pro- 
tein with which to balance up such foods as 
potatoes, rice, fruits, and other foodstuffs which 
are poor in proteid. 

Diet for the Sedentary 

Q. What foods are especially useful for 
sedentary persons? 

A. No one should lead a wholly sedentary 
life. It is unnatural and disease-producing in 
spite of any special dietary precautions which 
may be taken. It may be easily shown, however, 
that a flesh diet or a high protein diet, that 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 547 

is, a diet consisting largely of meat or eggs, is 
particularly injurious in persons of sedentary 
habits. When the body is inactive the amount of 
oxygen received is less than one-fifth that which 
is absorbed and circulated by the blood during 
active exercise. A person who is largely confined 
indoors and has little opportunity for exercise 
should not only avoid meats, but should use 
cereals very sparingly. The diet should consist 
chiefly of fruits of all sorts, potatoes and other 
fresh vegetables, including uncooked vegetables 
such as celery, lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers and 
tomatoes. Bran should also be freely used to 
stimulate intestinal activity. 

Diet in Cancer 

Q. What is the best diet to combat a can- 
cerous tendency? 

A. Williams of Bristol, England, has shown 
that cancer is a disease of meat eating races 
of men and animals. 

Those who wish to fortify themselves against 
cancer should therefore discard meats of all 
sorts. The fleshless diet promotes purity of 
blood by suppressing autointoxication. An anti- 
toxic diet, that is, a diet which discourages 
the development of putrefactive poisons in the 
intestine, is specially to be commended as a 
means of combating cancer. Such a dietary 



548 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

should be adopted by all persons suffering from 
cancer, and also by those who are so unfort- 
unate as -to have a cancer heredity. 

An antitoxic dietary excludes not only flesh 
foods, but tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, vinegar, 
mustard, pepper, peppersauce and other condi- 
ments, as well as all other toxic and irritating 
substances. 

A liberal use should be made of fresh fruits 
and vegetables because of the large amount of 
potash which they contain. Potatoes, carrots, 
raw cabbage, lettuce and cucumbers are espe- 
cially to be commended. Buttermilk, sourmilk, 
yogurt milk and such special ferments as yogurt 
should be used freely. 

Meatless Diet 

Q. In what diseases do medical authorities 
agree in prohibiting the use of flesh foods? 

A. Martinet, of Paris, enumerates the fol- 
lowing conditions in which the use of flesh foods 
is especially contraindicated : 

1. A meat diet favors intestinal putrefac- 
tions, encouraging constipation; it is therefore 
absolutely contraindicated in acute and chronic 
gastrointestinal infections, particularly in cases 
of enteritis. 

2. Flesh foods provoke the superabundant 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 549 

formation of nitrogenous wastes, of purins in 
particular; hence they are to be avoided in the 
various forms of purinemia (gout, lithiasis, 
chronic rheumatism, plethora, etc.) 

3. Flesh foods elevate arterial tension and 
overwork the heart; contraindicated therefore in 
cases of hypertension, in arteriosclerosis, ather- 
oma, aortic aneurisms, myocarditis, cardiac af- 
fections with broken compensation, or where the 
least elevation of pressure may invite a failure 
of compensation. 

4. Flesh foods increase the quantity of he- 
patic toxins, of the urinary excreta, and cause 
congestion of the liver and kidneys. On this 
account they are contraindicated in hepatic and 
renal congestions, the cirrhoses, inflammation of 
the liver, acute and chronic parenchymatous or 
interstitial nephritis. 

5. Flesh foods are undoubtedly excitants 
of the nervous system, in the same manner as 
tea, coffee, etc., on account of the extractive sub- 
stances contained. On this account, they are 
contraindicated in cases of neurasthenia, arterial 
hypertension, insomnia, obstinate neuralgia, — in 
short, in every case of abnormal excitation of the 
nervous system whether accompanied by pain or 
not. 



550 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Sugar an Irritant 

Q. Is sugar in small quantities injurious to 
a weak stomach? 

A. Cane sugar is often a source of irritation 
and disturbance, especially in cases in which 
the patient is suffering from hyperacidity or 
chronic gastritis. 

How an Excess of Starch Is Injurious 
to Health 

Q. In what way does an excess of starchy 
food threaten health? 

A. It is almost impossible for a person to 
suffer injury from the use of an excess of 
starchy food. 

The evils that are attributed to an excess 
of starch are not really due to this cause, but 
to the lack of other needed elements. Starch 
itself is harmless and does no injury. When 
the diet consists exclusively of polished rice or 
fine flour bread, vitamines are lacking. The 
evil effects often attributed to a farinaceous 
diet, such as rheumatism, neuralgia, anemia, etc., 
are due to other causes, especially to lack of 
vitamines. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 551 

Acidosis and Bulgarian Bacillus 

Q. Will the use of buttermilk or yogurt 
cause acidosis? 

A. There is no danger of acidosis from the 
use of Bacillus Bulgaricus. * The writer has made 
much use of this antitoxic ferment during many 
years and has never seen any harmful effects 
from its use even when taken in large quanti- 
ties. 

Wet bran is emollient. Bran acts upon the 
bowel by titillation. Bran is a "scouring" food. 

Bran 

Q. Is bran taken with flakes irritating to 
the bowels? 

A. No. Acidosis is the result of the imper- 
fect use or oxidation of fat in the body. It is like 
the smoking of a furnace with insufficient draft. 

Corn Bread 

Q. Is corn bread good for one who suffers 
with constipation? 

A. Corn bread is wholesome food when 
taken in connection with other foods, but it does 
not encourage intestinal activity. 



552 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Chocolate Drinking 

Q. Will the drinking of one or two cups 
of cocoa daily do harm? 

A. Qiocolate and cocoa are altogether un- 
wholesome, and if freely indulged in may easily 
induce conditions which might readily be attri- 
buted to some nervous disorder. 

The objectionable feature of cocoa and choco- 
late is the theobromine which these preparations 
contain. Theobromine is closely related to 
caffeine and is essentially the same substance, 
causing the same evil effects in the body. It is 
true that the amount of the objectionable element 
in chocolate is much smaller than in tea and cof- 
fee, but the quantity is sufficient to produce very 
decided effects in susceptible persons. 

Preparations of cocoa from which the theo- 
bromine has been removed are obtainable. 

Diet for Dry Skin 

0. What diet is suitable for a person suf- 
fering from dry skin and dry mouth? 

A. Diet alone will not be sufficient in such 
a case. An outdoor life, sun baths, and daily 
cold bathing with friction of the skin are other 
measures which should not be omitted. It is a 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 553 

good thing to apply to the skin daily the fol- 
lowing unguent: 

Lanoline 2 oz. 

Boroglyceride 1 oz. 

Cold Cream 6 oz. 

Dryness of the skin in persons past middle life 
is most often due to thyroid insufficiency; that 
is, the thyroid gland has atrophied from over 
work and is not doing its full share of work. In 
such cases, small doses of the dried thyroid of 
the sheep may be taken daily with benefit in most 
cases. 

Fine Flour Bread and Appendicitis 

Q. Is it a fact that the use of fine white 
bread causes appendicitis? 

A. Yes, anything that encourages constipation 
has a tendency to produce appendicitis. 

Constipating Foods 

Q. What foods have a tendency to produce 
inactivity of the bowels? 

A. Liquid foods which contain little indiges- 
tible residue are anti-laxative, or constipating. 
Rice, fine wheat flour in bread and similar prepa- 
rations, cornstarch, Iceland moss, gelatin, white 
of egg, boiled milk, are constipating. The same 



554 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

is also true of oatmeal mush when long cooked, 
and gruels, and similar preparations. These are 
highly constipating in character. 

Foods Which Lessen the Production of 
Gastric Acid 

Q. What foods hinder or lessen the pro- 
duction of gastric acid? 

A. Fats of all sorts have a remarkable re- 
straining influence upon the production of hy- 
drochloric acid in the stomach. This accounts 
for the influence of milk in diminishing gastric 
activity. The larger the amount of fat, the less 
the amount of gastric juice and gastric acid; 
hence, cream, butter, nuts, ripe olives, olive oil, 
and all oleaginous foods are useful in cases of 
hyperpepsia and hyperhydrochloria. 

Diabetic Foods 

Q. What foods are best for persons suf- 
fering from diabetes? 

A. The popular idea that persons suffering 
from diabetes should live chiefly upon meats is 
a serious error. Almost all the eminent auth- 
orities are agreed that meat, especially under- 
done meat, is detrimental in diabetes, and that 
patients do much better on a diet in which ani- 
mal proteins are replaced by vegetable proteins, 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 555 



such as gluten bread and other gluten prepara- 
tions and nuts of various sorts. Von Noorden 
arranges the various proteins in the following 
order as regards their suitability for use by dia- 
betics: (1) Vegetable proteins, (2) eggs, (3) 
milk, (4) meats. 

The following varieties of nuts are especially 
wholesome. 



Butternuts 
Pignolias 
Brazilnuts 
Black walnuts 
Hickory nuts 
Pecans 



Filberts 

Almonds 

Walnuts 

Beechnuts 

Pistachios 

Cocoanuts 



The diabetic should make his bill of fare con- 
sist chiefly of fresh vegetables of which the best 
are the following: 



Lettuce 


Cauliflower 


Spinach 


Tomatoes 


Sauerkraut 


Rhubarb 


String beans 


Egg plant 


Celery 


Beet greens 


Asparagus 


Water cress 


Cucumbers 


Cabbage 


Brussels sprouts 


Radishes 


Endive 


Pumpkin 


Dandelions 


Kohl-rabi 


Swiss chard 


Broccoli 


Sea kale 


Vegetable marrow 



556 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The following vegetables may be used spar- 
ingly under the supervision of a physician: 
Potatoes Shell beans 

Baked beans Green corn 

Of fruits the following may be used : 
Ripe olives (20 per cent, fat) Straw- 
berries 



Grape fruit 


Blackberries 


Lemons 


Gooseberries 


Oranges 


Peaches 


Cranberries 


Pineapple 


Apples 


Plums 


Pears 


Bananas 


Apricots 


Blueberries 


Cherries 


Currants 


Raspberries 


Huckleberries 



Other foods which may be used under the sup- 
ervision of a physician are, oat meal, eggs, milk, 
buttermilk and rice. 

Diet in Anemia 

Q. What should be the proper diet of an 
anemic person? 

A. An anemic person should eat a great deal 
of fresh vegetables, especially green things like 
lettuce and cucumbers or those things containing 
a great deal of iron. He does not need to eat 
meat. Indeed, meat is the very last thing such 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 557 

a person should eat. This condition in many 
cases is due to poisoning by colon germs, which 
are derived from meat. According to Sherman 
and other authorities, the iron of vegetables is 
much more easily assimilated than the iron of 
blood and meat. 

Diet in Catarrh 

Q. What is the proper diet for a person 
afflicted with long-standing catarrh? 

A. Nasal catarrh and catarrh in general are 
the result of low resistance. The blood and tis- 
sues have lost to some degree their natural power 
of resistance against the infection of bacteria. 
Intestinal autointoxication is the most common 
cause, and no method of cure can be successful 
without the adoption of an antitoxic, laxative 
diet, and a thorough building up of the general 
health by the outdoor life, and all other hygienic 
means. It is especially important that the bowels 
should be made to move three or four times a 
day, thoroughly, so that undigested food rem- 
nants shall not have time for putrefaction. Cop- 
ious water drinking is important. Take three 
to six pints of water daily. Out of door life 
and open air sleeping are important as well as 
regulation of diet. A person suffering with 
catarrh should live the "simple life." 



558 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Meat Diet Not Necessary 

Q. Is a meat diet capable of maintaining 
the body in a state of vigorous health? 

A. Says Doctor Carpenter, an eminent Eng- 
lish physician and scientist, "A well-selected 
vegetable diet is capable of producing the high- 
est physical development." 

Doctor Parkes, probably the most eminent of 
modern writers on hygiene, says, "The well-fed 
vegetable eater will show, when in training, no 
inferiority to the meat eater." 

The well-known experiments of Lehman show 
beyond doubt that the use of flesh food requires 
more work of the kidneys than a vegetable diet. 
When living on an exclusively animal diet he 
found that the amount of urea eliminated by 
the kidneys was two and one-half times as 
much as when the diet was exclusively vegetable, 
and one and a half times as much when he par- 
took of both animal and vegetable food. This 
shows beyond question that when the diet is ex- 
clusively animal, the kidneys have more than 
double the amount of work to do than when it is 
vegetable in character ; and that when partly ani- 
mal and partly vegetable, they are required to do 
one-half additional and extra work. This exces- 
sive work must inevitably tend to the production 
of kidney disease, which is becoming a very com- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 559 

mon affection among the English and Amer- 
icans, who, as is well known, eat more animal 
food than any other civilized nation. 

Observation made under the writer's super- 
vision showed that the work required of the kid- 
neys by a non-flesh low protein diet is scarcely 
more than a third that demanded by the ordinary 
mixed diet. 

Corn Bread in Rheumatism 

Q. Is corn bread a proper food in cases of 
chronic rheumatism? 

A. Yes, but not as an exclusive diet. Cer- 
eals as a class, with the exception of rice, contain 
a very considerable excess of acid salts, and 
hence should not compose too large a portion 
of the bill of fare. When cereals are used, a 
considerable proportion of fresh vegetables and 
fruits, including uncooked foods, should be taken 
at each meal.. 

Tortillas 

Q. Are tortillas as made by the Mexicans 
good food? 

A. As they are ordinarily made, they are 
rather indigestible. But if they are kept upon a 
hot tin until they are thoroughly dried out and 
toasted (the Mexicans call them "tortillas tost- 
ados") they are very wholesome indeed. 



560 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 



Balanced Diet 

Q. What is a balanced ration? 

A. That diet which is carefully adapted to 
the individual's work, both in its proportion of 
the various food elements (proteins, fats and 
carbohydrates) and in quantity. The normal 
diet for a man of medium size doing sedentary 
work is two thousand calories, the proteins, fats 
and carbohydrates being in the ratio of 1 :3 :6. 
That is, one-tenth of the day's intake should be 
protein, one-third the remainder should be fats, 
and the rest carbohydrates. The following table 
shows approximately the total number of cal- 
ories, with the proportion of the various food 
elements for men and women of different 
heights : 

MEN 



Height 




Calories or 


Food Units 




in In. 


Proteins 


Fats 


Carbohydrates 


Total 


61 


197 


591 


1,182 


1,970 


62 


200 


600 


1,200 


2,000 


63 


204 


. 612 


1,224 


2,040 


64 


210 


630 


1,260 


2,100 


65 


215 


645 


1,290 


2,150 


66 


221 


663 


1,326 


2,210 


67 


228 


684 


1,368 


2,280 


68 


236 


708 


1,416 


2,360 


69 


243 


729 


1,458 


2,430 


70 


251 


753 


1,506 


2,510 


71 


260 


780 


1,560 


2,600 


72 


269 


807 


1,614 


2,690 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 561 



Height 




Calories or Food 


Units 




in In. 


Proteins 


Fats 


Carbohydrates 


Total 


73 


278 


834 


1,668 


2,780 


74 


288 


864 


1,728 


2,880 


75 


300 


900 
WOMEN 


1,800 


3,000 


59 


179 


537 


1,074 


1,790 


60 


183 


549 


1,098 


1,830 


61 


186 


558 


1,116 


1,860 


62 


191 


573 


1,146 


1,910 


63 


197 


591 


1,182 


1,970 


64 


201 


603 


1,206 


2,010 


65 


209 


627 


1,254 


2,090 


66 


215 


645 


1,290 


2,150 


67 


221 


663 


1,326 


2,210 


68 


227 


581 


1,362 


2,270 


69 


232 


696 


1,392 


2,320 


70 


239 


717 


1,434 


2,390 



One engaged in hard muscular labor should 
increase the above amount by one-half, increas- 
ing at the same time the proportion of fats and 
carbohydrates, particularly the latter. Where 
the individual's work is extremely sedentary, 
calling for constant sitting at a desk, the total 
ration will in most cases be cut down to a point 
indicated by the individual's appetite. The 
amount which this calls for varies with the sea- 
sons, more food being consumed during the win- 
ter months than in the summer. The amount 
of food required depends primarily upon the 
amount of skin surface, as food is principally 
needed to maintain animal heat, which is chiefly 
lost through the skin. A child has a much 



562 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

larger skin surface in proportion to its weight 
than has a larger person. For example, a child 
weighing ten pounds has a skin surface of three 
square feet, while a man weighing 180 pounds, 
or eighteen times as much, has a skin area of 
about 21 square feet, only seven times greater. 
The child of ten pounds requires, then, about 
one-seventh as much food as a man weighing 
180 pounds, instead of only one-eighteenth as 
much. 

Persons who are thin in flesh and who have 
good digestion may be able to appropriate ten 
to twenty per cent more of fats or of carbohy- 
drates than a person in ordinary health. 

The total number of units should rarely exceed 
2,400 food units or calories, and the amount may 
often be diminished with profit, under medical 
direction, to 1,500 or 1,200, or even less for a 
time. 

In cases of obesity the food intake is usually 
reduced about one-third. A two-thirds ration may 
be safely followed for a long time. 

The amount of energy required to the body 
varies, of course, with the season, with the 
weather, and with the amount and kind of work 
done. Hard, physical work and exposure to low 
temperature demand the largest food supply. 

It should be stated, however, that a person 
whose occupation is indoors in an atmosphere the 
temperature of which is practically the same :vs 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 563 

that of average summer temperature, does not 
require more food in the winter than in the sum- 
mer season, since his loss of heat is no greater. 
A person who perspires very freely, however, 
either when at work during the hot season out of 
doors or in a heated room at any season, re- 
quires practically as much food as one doing the 
same amount of work in a cold atmosphere, be- 
cause of the large amount of heat carried off 
from the body by the evaporation of perspira- 
tion from the skin. 

In estimating the number of calories required 
by persons of different weights and skin sur- 
faces, the weight in pounds was multiplied by 
the factor 4.25, and the surface, or skin area, 
by 80, the sum of these two products repre- 
senting the number of calories required to make 
good the losses of energy expended in vital 
work through the dissipation of heat from the 
body by radiation, conduction, and evaporation 
of moisture from the skin and from the cutan- 
eous and respiratory surfaces. 

The Daily Ration 

Q. How may one estimate the amount of 
food that he is taking at each meal? 

A. This can be done only by carefully weigh- 
ing or measuring the foods and consulting a 
reliable table. (See the Sanitarium Diet List). 



564 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Diet of Brain Workers 

Q. Do persons engaged in hard brain labor 
require an extra amount of food? 

A. The interesting and exhaustive researches 
that have been carried on by Benedict and others, 
have shown that the amount of food required by 
a person doing the very hardest kind of brain 
work is scarcely more than that required by the 
person who simply loafs, doing nothing at all. It 
appears from these experiments, and those of 
Rubner and other European investigators that the 
amount of food required depends first upon the 
amount of heat lost, since two-thirds to three- 
fourths of all the food eaten is consumed in main- 
taining bodily heat, and second upon the amount 
of muscular work performed. The actual amount 
of food required by a sedentary person engaged 
in mental work, during ten hours a day is not 
more than two-thirds the amount needed by a 
person engaged for the same length of time in 
vigorous muscular work. 

The Newly Discovered Vitamines 

Q. What are vitamines? 

A. Vitamines, the most recently discovered 
of food elements, are subtle substances which 
are absolutely essential to natural development 
and good nutrition. Vitamines do not actually 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 565 

enter into the composition of the body, but do 
in some way not yet fully understood keep in 
efficient operation the life processes in ways 
which are absolutely essential to our physical well 
being. 

Recent studies of vitamines by the experts 
of the U. S. Public Health Service indicate that 
there are several different sorts of vitamines, 
which are found in different proportions in dif- 
ferent substances. The absence of certain vita- 
mines gives rise to beri-beri, a disease which de- 
stroys the lives of many thousands annually in 
oriental countries where polished rice is the 
staple food, and is not unknown in this coun- 
try. 

Beri-beri is very common among the fisher- 
men of Labrador and Newfoundland who live 
largely on fine flour bread and tea. A diet of 
tea and toast is an open invitation to beri-beri. 

Scurvy is another disease due to absence of 
certain special vitamines which probably are dif- 
ferent from those which cause beri-beri. Rick- 
ets in children and pellagra in adults also prob- 
ably belong to this same class of deficiency dis- 
eases. 

According to the best authorities, the follow- 
ing food substances are rich in vitamines which 
prevent beri-beri: — 



566 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED 



Foods Which Prevent 
Beri-beri 


Foods Which Cause Beri-beri. 


Beans 


Polished rice 


Peas 


Fine wheat flour 


Egg yolk 


Hominy 


Fresh milk 


Corn flour 


Whole grains 


Corn and rice flakes 


Rice 


All cereals deprived of bran 


Barley 


Corn and wheat starch 


Wheat 


Pork 


Rye 


Lard 


Rice bran 


Sterilized (boiled) milk 


Fresh meat 


sterilized meat (canned meat and 


Wheat bran 


fish) 


\east 


Canned vegetables 



Cabbage, turnips, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, 
greens and similar vegetables are poor in beri- 
beri preventing vitamines. It is a remarkable 
fact, however, that these same foods, together 
with fresh fruits are very rich in the vitamines 
which prevent scurvy. 



Foods Which Prevent Scurvy 

Fresh milk 

(Not boiled or pasteurized) 
Fresh vegetables 
Fresh fruits 
Fruit juices 

(Unboiled) 



Foods Which Are Poor in 
Scurvy Preventing Vita- 
mines 

Sterilized milk 

Canned meats 

Canned vegetables 

Dried vegetables 

Dried fruits 

Dried cereals 

Lard 



Infants and young children often suffer from 
deficiency diseases and hence the above facts 
are of utmost value and importance in relation 
to the feeding of children as well as adults. 

Studies of beri-beri in the Philippines by gov- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 567 

ernment experts show that the disease is com- 
monly accompanied by dilatation of the right 
ventricle of the heart. 

Later observations have shown that certain 
vitamines are fat soluble and others water soluble. 
Both are needed for growth and healthy develop- 
ment. Children fed on pasteurized or sterilized 
milk should be fed daily one or two ounces of 
orange juice or potato soup seasoned with a little 
butter. 

It is believed that lack of vitamines may be 
the cause of many chronic ailment such as neu- 
ralgia, neuritis, rheumatism and general decline. 

Mould 

Q. Is bread or other food unfit to eat when 
mould appears upon the surface ? 

A. When mould is present on the outside of a 
loaf of bread, the spores are certain to be pres- 
ent in great numbers in the loaf itself, such food 
is unfit to be eaten, at least without sterilizing. 
Such bread, if the mold is slight, may be made 
wholesome by cutting into slices and toasting till 
hard and crisp. 

Mould is produced by spores which are con- 
stantly present in the air and which mingle 
more or less with all the foods we eat. The 



568 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

spores of moulds are present in great quantity in 
such foodstuffs as bread, crackers, and other 
bakery products. 

M. Pietro, an Italian investigator, in the 
study of pellagra made the discovery that the 
common green mould, known as penicilium 
glaucum produces a highly toxic substance in 
its spore. This toxin is* active when introduced 
into the stomach or into the skin. Dogs, rab- 
bits and guinea-pigs are sensitive to its effects 
as well as human beings. The poison of green 
mould produces muscular trembling, paralysis, 
spasms, and other symptoms which in many re- 
spects resemble the symptoms of pellagra. 

Old cheese always contains mold. Certain 
varieties of cheese, such as brie and cammem- 
bert cheese, contain much mold. Fresh cream 
cheese and cottage cheese do not contain moulds. 
In the light of the above facts, mouldy f'od is 
unfit to be eaten. Persons whose stomachs make 
no gastric acid must especially avoid mouldy 
foods for the reason that the moulds may attach 
themselves to the stomach walls and become a 
permanent source, of infection of the food. 

The Sense of Taste 

Q. Where is the sense of taste located? 

A. The nerves of taste are distributed to the 
point and upper portion of the tongue, the lower 
portion of the soft palate not including the 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 569 

uvula, the back of the soft palate, the epiglottis 
and even the inside of the larynx. In a child 
the lining membrane of the cheek, the roof of 
the mouth and the whole of the upper surface 
of the tongue are sensitive to taste. As life ad- 
vances, the area covered by the sense of taste 
gradually diminishes. In very advanced age, 
the sense of taste almost disappears. 

The primary tastes are: sweet, sour, bitter, 
salty, alkaline and metallic. Oily, i aromatic, 
pungent and astringent flavors are due to a 
combined stimulation of the senses of taste, 
smell, touch and temperature. 

Sweet is perceived by the upper part of the 
tongue, bitter by the back part. The salty taste 
is perceived the most quickly. The next most 
quickly perceived is the sweet, then the sour and 
slowest of all, bitter. It has been suggested 
that the stomach also has a sense of taste, but 
this is not true although the stomach possesses 
to some degree the sense of feeling. The sense 
of taste is not lessened by bodily fatigue, 
which greatly diminishes the acuteness of the 
sense of smell. The nerves of taste may be 
deceived. After rinsing the mouth with very 
dilute sulphuric acid, pure distilled water has 
a sweet taste. The sense of taste is intensified 
by contrasts. A very dilute salt solution utterly 
devoid of taste will increase the sweetness of 
a sugar solution taken afterwards. A dilute 



570 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

solution of cocaine destroys the sense of taste. 
Ice water benumbs the nerves of taste, obliter- 
ating the flavor of all except sour substances. 
Chronic catarrh of the nose and throat dimin- 
ishes the sense of taste as well as the sense of 
smell. The acuteness of the sense of taste may 
be greatly increased by education. 

Weight of Ordinary Diet 

Q. What is the weight of an ordinary diet? 

A. The weight of the day's ration will de- 
pend, of course, almost entirely upon the char- 
acter of the food selected. 

For example, a pound of nuts is capable of 
furnishing all the energy required by a man en- 
gaged in active muscular pursuits. Of course, 
such a diet would be much too concentrated. 

A mixed ration of fruits, nuts and such fresh 
foods as lettuce, celery, etc., will weigh about 
two and one half to four pounds. 

Ptomaines 

Q. What are ptomaines? 

A. These are poisonous substances which are 
formed whenever animal flesh undergoes putre- 
faction. 

That ptomaines are not only present in 
the intestinal contents, but that they are ab- 
sorbed and circulated throughout the body and 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 571 

thus brought in contact with all the tissues is 
clearly shown by the fact that they have been 
recovered from the urine. Numerous observers 
have found cadaverin, putrescin and other pto- 
maines in the urine of various subjects in differ- 
ent forms of disease. 

Mixed Starches 

Q. Is a mixture of starches healthful? 

A. Starch is one of the most wholesome of all 
food principles. Healthy persons may take as 
many different kinds of starch at a meal as they 
like. Diabetics are able to tolerate a single kind, 
better than mixed starches. When the food is 
rich in starch an abundance of fruit juices must 
be taken to furnish vitamines. 

Potatoes 

Q. Is a diet consisting very largely of 
potatoes healthful? 

A. Certainly, provided the other part of the 
diet consists of suitable, complementary food- 
stuffs. Potatoes contain no fat, and are an in- 
sufficient diet without the addition of fat. A 
man observed by Hinhede lived for more than 
a year, working at very hard labor, on a diet 
consisting exclusively of potatoes and fat. 






572 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Digestive Enzyme of Pineapple Juice 

Q. Is the juice of the pineapple of any 
value as a digestive agent? 

A. In reply to a similar question, an able 
chemist and authority on diet said: 

"There is present in pineapple juice an enzyme 
which has some little digestive power. The 
pineapple is a most wholesome and useful fruit. 
Its value as a digestant and a cure of sore throats 
is greatly exaggerated. It will take about 1.7 
pints of the juice to digest the white of one 
egg in the most favorable conditions, while 
one-twenty-eighth of an ounce of the pepsin 
which is normally present in the stomach will di- 
gest about six pounds of egg albumen. Beware 
of fads." 

Food Absorption 

Q. How may the absorption of food be en- 
couraged? 

A. Experiments have shown that the rate of 
absorption by the intestine depends largely upon 
the degree of pressure within the abdominal 
cavity. The effect of increased pressure upon 
the rate of absorption of liquids is the same 
as an increase of atmospheric pressure on the 
passage of liquids through a filter. The intra- 
abdominal pressure is influenced by several fac- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 573 

tors, especially the tone of the intestinal walls, 
the weight of intestinal tract, the contraction of 
the intestinal muscles, the pressure of the abo- 
minal muscles and the diaphragm in breathing 
and especially in deep breathing. The last two 
factors, which are perhaps the most powerful of 
all, may be readily controlled. 

When the abdominal muscles are weak and the 
breathing shallow, absorption is necessarily slow. 
The strength of the muscles may be increased 
by gymnastic exercises and by applications of 
electricity. Automatic exercise of the abdominal 
muscles is especially useful. The diaphragm 
may be brought into useful action by deep 
breathing. For many years the writer has rec- 
ommended to his patients the practice of deep 
breathing after meals, and has found this an 
efficient means of relieving the sensation of 
heaviness or weight in the abdomen; this is 
probably due to accumulation of blood in the 
abdominal vessels and interference with absorp- 
tion. An excellent method of encouraging ab- 
sorption, is to practice deep breathing while ly- 
ing upon the back with a sandbag, or weighted 
compress, upon the abdomen. The weight of the 
sandbag may be ten to forty pounds, according 
to the strength of the patient. Lying on the face 
also encourages absorption. The small boy lies 
over a barrel when his stomach aches. 



574 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Uric Acid in Foods 

Q. Is the amount of uric acid found in dif- 
ferent foods known? 

A. Doctor Hall of Manchester, England, de- 
voted a year to the study of this question. The 
following table shows the results of his care- 
fully conducted studies: 

Grains per Pound 

Fish 8.15 

Mutton 6.75 

Veal 8.14 

Pork , 8.48 

Sweetbread (thymus) 70.53 

Beefsteak 14.45 

Liver 19.26 

Oatmeal 3.46 

Peas 2.54 

Beans 4.17 

Potatoes 0.14 

Asparagus 1.50 

Tea 3.22 

Coffee 4.53 

Milk 0.00 

Eggs 0.00 

Cabbage, lettuce 0.00 

Cauliflower 0.00 

Rice 0.00 

Wheat Bread (white) 0.00 

Peas and beans are the only common vegetable 
foods which contain more than traces of uric acid. 
The amount is very small. If comparison is made 
of the actual dry substance, beefsteak contains 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 575 

twenty-two times as much uric acid as peas and 
fourteen times as much as beans. By par-boil- 
ing, the uric acid of peas and beans may be re- 
moved. 

Laughing an Aid to Digestion 

Q. How does laughing aid digestion? 

A. The moving of the food from place to 
place along the alimentary canal is done chiefly 
by the intestine itself, but in part the work is done 
by the diaphragm. The stomach lies just under- 
neath the diaphragm, which is simply a thin mus- 
cular partition, with the heart on one side and the 
stomach on the other. In action the diaphragm 
moves up and down upon the stomach. As we 
breathe out and in the diaphragm moves the 
stomach up and down, so that the contents of the 
stomach are churned by the process. If one 
breathes deeply, this churning movement is quite 
vigorous. If one breathes very slowly and super- 
ficially, then the action of the diaphragm upon 
the stomach will be very little. This is the rea- 
son why, when people go to sleep directly after 
eating, food remains a long time in the stomach. 
The breathing is repressed to such a degree when 
we are asleep that the food remains in the stom- 
ach nearly twice as long as when we are awake. 
The effect of laughing is to increase the action 
of the diaphragm. A hearty laugh thus renders 
valuable assistance to digestion, not simply be- 



576 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

cause there is a pleasant state of mind, which 
makes the condition favorable for all the func- 
tions of the body, but because of actual mechan- 
ical assistance. 

Amino Acids 

Q. What are amino acids? 

A. Modern chemical researches have shown 
that all proteins are made up of a considerable 
number of substances to which the term amino 
acids has been applied. These substances, some- 
times spoken of by writers on dietetics as "build- 
ing stones," differ in number and in kind in the 
different proteins; indeed the difference that is 
recognizable between proteins from different 
sources, animal and vegetable are due to the dif- 
ference in the kind, number and proportions of 
the amino acids of which they are composed. 
Every plant produces proteins peculiar to itself. 
The proteins of the different tissues of the body 
also differ. In the process of digestion protein is 
reduced to these amino acids, which after ab- 
sorption are circulated in the blood to the several 
tissues and are by the individual cells of the 
body reassembled, each class of cells or tissues 
making from the building stones the kind of pro- 
tein which is required for its growth and repair. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 577 

Effect of Starvation Upon Body Cells 

Q. What is the effect of starvation upon 
the body cells? 

A. Although there is a constant loss of pro- 
tein during starvation it is now known that this 
does not result from the actual death or de- 
struction of any considerable number of cells, 
but rather a diminution in the size of the indi- 
vidual cells. The cells become thinner as their 
stores of energy are exhausted, but do not actually 
perish. 

Fasting 

Q. Is fasting beneficial? 

A. There are certain conditions in which 
fasting is necessary and to the highest degree 
beneficial, as for example in cases of gastric or 
duodenal ulcer, especially if accompanied by 
hemorrhage, after operations upon the stomach 
and sometimes in fever cases. The idea that 
fasting is highly beneficial as a means of free- 
ing the body of poisons has little scientific foun- 
dation. The worst poisons from which the body 
suffers are those which result from putrefaction 
in the intestine. If the intestine can be thor- 
oughly freed from putrefying substances and kept 
free the body quickly clears itself from other 
poisons through the cleansing power of the blood 



578 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

which washes every tissue and is itself puri- 
fied though the action of the kidneys, lungs and 
depurating organs. The chief advantage ordin- 
arily gained by a fast is restriction of the 
amount of protein taken into the body. Essen- 
tially the same advantages may be obtained by 
adopting a dietary which contains little or no 
protein for some days. The elimination of fats 
is also sometimes beneficial. There is rarely any 
advantage in withholding carbohydrates, that is, 
starch and sugar. 

Carbohydrates are anti-toxic and render val- 
uable service in destroying the poison- forming 
bacteria. It is important, that the intestinal secre- 
tions and excretions should be regularly dis- 
charged from the body during fasting as well 
as at other times. Daily movements of the 
bowels may be secured by the taking of sub- 
stances which supply bulk without protein. 

The damage done to the body by long fasting 
is simply appalling. Experiments and observa- 
tions made upon animals and upon human be- 
ings who have been subjected to prolonged fasts 
have afforded abundant evidence of the terrible 
consequences to the various bodily organs, as a 
result of the determined effort of the body to 
maintain animal heat and the various bodily 
activities in the absence of a proper food supply. 
The situation of the body may be aptly com- 
pared to that which exists in a home during a 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 579 

fuel famine. In the absence of coal or other 
fuel, rather than freeze to death the occupants 
of the house burn up the furniture, and even 
tear up floors and break down the partitions to 
keep the fire going. Of course if there had 
been a considerable amount of fuel on hand, the 
destruction of the house would naturally be post- 
poned until the store of fuel was exhausted. 

This is perfectly analogous to what occurs 
in the body. An extra accumulation of fat may 
be reduced' by a fast without particular injury, 
as an excess of fat represents a surplus of food 
which has been taken in and deposited as resid- 
ual tissue. The hunger cure, administered with 
caution and under medical supervision, is, in- 
deed, an excellent remedy in obesity ; but in per- 
sons who have no surplus fat to protect the ac- 
tive tissues, the destruction of the various or- 
gans begins at once with the commencement of 
a fast. 

Abnormal Appetite 

Q. What is the best means of controlling 
an abnormal appetite? 

A. Thorough mastication of the food. In 
such cases it is well to take a little food half an 
hour before the meal. This has a tendency to 
lessen the appetite. 



580 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

It is also highly important to eat much bulky 
food and especially at the beginning of a meal, 
such foods as lettuce, spinach, turnips and bran 
or agar-agar. 

Appetite and Instinct 

Q. May the diet be regulated by instinct? 

A. Modern investigation seems to show that 
the nutrition of the body is protected by in- 
stinctive functions which, if followed, will serve 
as accurate guides, not only to the amount of 
food, but also as to the kind of foods which 
should be eaten. 

Laboratory dogs instinctively regulate and se- 
lect their diet. 

A dog taking no exercise eats less than a 
dog taking exercise. 

On warm days dogs refuse food which will 
be eaten on cold days. This was probably true 
of man before the advent of cookery. 

Lower animals still possess these instincts, 
but human beings have so long disregarded the 
real needs of the body that even intelligent 
people are often unable to interpret properly the 
meaning of appetite or hunger. The average man, 
in other words, does not stop to consider 
whether the inclination to take food may be 
prompted by an actual bodily need or whether 
it is simply a desire to gratify his sense of taste. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 58! 

Many people make a practise of taking food in 
as large quantities and as frequently as they find 
it possible to eat with a relish. 

An excellent illustration of this is found by 
Taylor in the fact that most people eat four or 
five times as much common salt as the body can 
find any use for. 

The Mind Affects Appetite 

Q. What is sitophobia? 

A. Sitophobia is morbid fear in relation to 
food, or an aversion to foods resulting from 
strong mental impression. Nearly every per- 
son has experienced the loss of relish for some 
well liked dish after having encountered a dis- 
appointment due to the blunder of a cook 
or an attack of indigestion following indulgence 
in a favorite dish. The success of the 
Keeley cure was based upon this princi- 
ple. The patient was informed that he 
could drink whiskey as often and as much as 
he pleased, but care was taken just before the 
whiskey was swallowed to administer an injec- 
tion of apomorphia, a substance which produced 
after a few minutes, great nausea. The pa- 
tient attributed the nausea to the whiskey and 
so acquired a mental prejudice against it which 



582 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

protected him against the alcohol so long as the 
impression lasted. A recent writer on sitophobia 
gives an account of a man who lost his appetite 
for cat fish after having discovered the putrid 
carcass of a cow entangled in the river weeds 
of his favorite fishing place and surrounded by 
a school of catfish. A boy who was very fond 
of apple dumpling lost his appetite entirely for 
this toothsome dish after having suffered a fit of 
indigestion from eating more dumpling than his 
stomach was able to dispose of. 

The World's Future Food Supply 

Q. Is there danger of a nation wide or 
world wide shortage of food? 

A. We have six million farms, a billion acres, 
half under cultivation. That is, Uncle Sam every 
year plants 500,000,000 acres, almost 1,000,000 
square miles, and gathers the crop. 

And here is the crop: 

Corn 184,000,000,000 lbs. 

Wheat 41,700,000,000 " 

Oats 37,500,000,000 " 

Rye 1,320,000,000 " 

Barley 5,400,000,000 " 

Rice 680,000,000 " 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 583 

Sweet Potatoes 3,426,000,000 lbs. 

Potatoes 20,280,000,000 " 

Sugar Beets 1,586,706,000 " 

Apples and other fruits 13,000,000,000 " 

Beans 619,000,000 " 

Total 309,511,000,000 lbs. 

An annual crop of more than three billion 
pounds of substantial food, 3,000 pounds, a ton 
and a half, for each inhabitant. And yet we talk 
about hunger and famine ! 

Allowing one million calories a year (more 
than a full ration for an average adult) for 
every one of the 100,000,000 children of Uncle 
Sam we find that the annual crop is ample to 
feed them all and there will be enough left over 
to feed more than three times as many more. In 
other words, the staple vegetable foods pro- 
duced annually in the United States will suffice 
to feed amply more than 400,000,000. 

What becomes of this enormous crop of good 
foods? 

There are others. Besides the 100,000,000 hu- 
man inhabitants of the United States there are 
200,000,000 others with big hungry mouths. 
Horses, oxen, cows, mules, sheep, pigs, all busy 
eating up our farm crops, besides occupying an 
enormous area of land that might otherwise be 
utilized in rearing food crops. 



584 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Our 22,000,000 milch cows we need of course, 
and the 25,000,000 horses and mules we shall 
have to keep until the time when tractors have 
taken their places ; but the 47,000,000 steers and 
48,000,000 hogs we can easily get along with- 
out. 

As the population of the world increases, man 
will be compelled to return to his natural, biologic 
diet by economic forces which he cannot possibly 
ignore nor set aside. China, Japan, India, other 
old civilizations have proven this. So, as the 
great Virchow once said, "The future is with 
the vegetarians." Why not begin now? This 
is an easy, sure, safe and scientific solution of 
the food problem which now confronts the coun- 
try and the world. 

The Danger of Famine 

Q. Is there danger of famine in the United 
States? 

A. If the agriculturists of the country will 
devote their attention to the production of the 
largest possible crops of cereals, beans, and po- 
tatoes, and will save these choice foods for hu- 
man consumption instead of wasting a large 
measure by feeding them to cattle and hogs, the 
food resources of the country may be enormously 
increased. Taking the average food productivity 
per acre as ten times that of meat, or 1,500,000 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 585 

calories, the total product of the 300 million acres 
of improved farm land will reach the enormous 
sum of 450 trillion calories, sufficient to supply 
each one of our 100 million citizens with more 
than 12,000 calories per day or more than five 
times the food required. In other words, if the 
land at present under cultivation were devoted 
wholly to the raising of cereals, potatoes, beans 
and other foods of equal value, the land that is 
at present under cultivation would feed five 
times the present population. At the present 
time we are cultivating less than one-fourth of 
our acreage, so if we were to utilize all our land 
in the raising of profitable crops even by our 
present unscientific and inefficient methods of 
cultivation we should be able to produce food 
enough to support a population at least twenty 
times as large as our present population — in 
other words to feed two billion people. If in 
addition we should improve our methods of 
agriculture by the employment of up-to-date and 
intensive methods of productivity all the land 
could doubtless be increased at least two and a 
half times, probably even much more than this, 
so that it is not unreasonable to believe that when 
scientific methods become universal in the United 
States and all our land shall be brought into 
cultivation and utilized in the best manner 
possible, this country will be able to produce food 
enough to support a population of five billion 



586 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

people. Certainly there is no occasion at the 
present time for any alarm in reference to food 
shortage if we will cease to waste our cereals by 
unprofitable feeding to hogs and cattle and to 
destroy it for the production of beer and distilled 
liquors. 



Food and Food Values 

Biologic Living 

Q. What is biologic living? 

A. The great biologic laws, under the control 
of which man has been developed during count- 
less ages, are as immutable and as unescapable 
as the force of gravitation. The principles 
which rule our physical being are the most 
fundamental elements of human life. Most 
human maladies and miseries are the natural 
result of our failure to recognize this profound 
truth. Hunger, thirst, desire for air, sunlight, 
and other bodily appetites are primitive in- 
stincts which, if followed implicitly and ra- 
tionally, would result in the highest degree of 
physical vigor and efficiency. 

But we pervert every instinct. 

We affect habits that are wholly foreign to 
our biologic requirements and adaptions. In- 
stinct calls us to live in the open. We imprison 
ourselves in offices, factories, and air-tight bed- 
rooms. The result is the great white plague, 
tuberculosis. 

Instinct calls for water to cool and cleanse the 
vital machinery. We guzzle beer, wine, whiskey, 



588 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

tea, coffee and other intoxicants, and suffer 
countless miseries in consequence. 

Instinct and biologic law teach us to select a 
bill of fare identical with that of our cousins, 
the anthropoids — the chimpanzee, the orang and 
the gorilla, who with man form the family of 
primates, one of the most ancient and most re- 
markable of all animal races. But instead of 
contenting ourselves with the natural products 
of the earth — fruits, nuts, soft grains and tender 
shoots — we have unlawfully and unbiologically 
invaded the food stores of nearly every other 
species of animal. We eat fish with the cor- 
morant; wild game with the lion and the eagle; 
we gnaw bones with the dog and nibble cheese 
with the larvae of flies and other insects. We 
gulp down oysters and clams with the sea gull 
and the pelican and we eat putrescent meats 
(prime beef) with the carrion crow and the buz- 
zard, and the result is universal dyspepsia. The 
human digestive machine cannot deal with such 
a miscellaneous assortment of foodstuffs. No 
single stomach can properly digest the bill of fare 
of all creation. 

Our fundamental adaptations and. nutritive 
needs we cannot change. We must bow to the 
Omnipotent Forces which made us as we are, 
and conform our lives to the cosmic order. We 
must keep step with the music of the spheres to 
which the old Greek philosophers listened; we 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 589 

must keep ourselves "in tune with the infinite." 
This is the key to the normal, healthy life. 

Fletcherism 

Q. What is fletcherism? 

A. Fletcherism is practically synonymous 
with thorough mastication. Mr. Horace Fletcher 
by experiments upon himself and others demon- 
strated the importance of thorough mastication 
of food. Mr.Fletcher proved that thorough chew- 
ing secured at least the following advantages : 

1. A better appreciation of the food, that 
is, increased gustatory pleasure. 

2. More thorough digestion of the food. 

3. A very great economy in the amount of 
food required, it being found that the intake of 
food might be reduced one-third or even one- 
half without loss of weight and with actual gain 
in physical comfort, efficiency and endurance. 

4. It was especially noted by Mr. Fletcher 
that a great reduction might be made in the 
the amount of protein required to satisfy the de- 
mand of the appetite and the needs of the body. 

Mr. Fletcher's experience and that of many 
of his disciples showed that thorough mastica- 
tion reduced the need for protein to such an ex- 
tent that flesh meats of all kinds might be easily 
and advantageously eliminated. 



590 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

5. Mr. Fletcher also noted that the applica- 
tion of his principle to alcoholic beverages by 
slow sipping and long retention of the liquid in 
the mouth very soon eliminated the desire for 
these beverages. The appetite for tobacco also 
in time disappeared. 

Of course, Mr. Fletcher did not discover chew- 
ing. Many old writers, especially Brillat Savarin, 
strongly insisted upon the importance of thor- 
ough mastication of the food. For more than 
forty years, the author has preached the gospel of 
thorough mastication. The purpose to encourage 
the eating of dry foods and thorough mastication 
of the foods, led to the invention of cereal flakes 
now the most popular of breakfast foods but 
usually eaten moist instead of dry, as intended 
by the inventor. 

Chilli 

Q. What is chilli; and is its use injurious? 

A. Chilli is a term sometimes used for 
a variety of red pepper. Its use produces the 
same injurious effects as pepper in other forms. 
The essential oil of pepper is a highly irritant 
substance. According to Williams, an eminent 
English authority on foods, the oil of cayenne 
is nearly as poisonous as prussic acid. The effect 
of the contact of this highly irritating oil with the 
skin and the mucous membrane of the eye is well 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 591 

known. Intense congestion and irritation often 
followed by severe inflammation are the result of 
an external application of cayenne, capsicum, or 
chilli. The actual effect of an internal applica- 
tion of this poisonous substance is essentially 
the same as that of an external application, 
though not so immediate or severe, for the rea- 
son that the irritant is diluted, and its effects 
thus attenuated by the admixture of mucus 
and other secretions. The effect of the repeated 
irritations of the stomach produced by the use 
of chillis, pepper, capsicum, and allied sub- 
stances is to induce a chronic inflamma- 
tion which finally results in gastric catarrh and 
destruction of the glands of the stomach and 
apepsia. Boix of Paris showed that pepper pro- 
duces hardening of the arteries and gin liver, and 
that it is six times as active a poison as gin. 

Condiments 

Q. Are such spices as cinnamon, nutmeg, 
pepper, cloves, and ginger proper foods? 

A. Spices and condiments of all sorts are not 
foodstuffs in the ordinary sense. While it is 
probably true that these substances may be used 
in extremely minute quantities for a long time 
without apparent injury their free use is highly 
objectionable. They finally irritate the stomach, 
damage the liver and kidneys and when freely 



592 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

used produce hardening of the arteries and high 
blood pressure. Persons who suffer from kid- 
ney disease, arteriosclerosis, hyperacidity, gall- 
stones or urinary disorders of any sort should 
especially avoid the use of condiments. Of course 
it can hardly be claimed that extremely minute 
quantities of cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg which 
are sometimes used in flavoring beverages are 
productive of serious injury. 

Phosphates 

Q. What are the best sources of phos- 
phates? 

A. Phosphates are found in abundance in 
whole grain, especially in oat meal, cracked 
wheat, wheat flakes, graham bread and other 
whole grain preparations. Wheat bran is of 
course very rich in phosphates. Milk also con- 
tains phosphates in abundance. 

Pickles 

Q. Why are pickles considered unwhole- 
some? 

A. Pickles, being hardened by the action of 
acetic acid and salt, perhaps with the addition of 
alcohol, become almost absolutely indigestible. 
When taken into the stomach they resist the ac- 
tion of gastric juice much as would sawdust or 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 593 

pebbles, and become a source of great irritation 
and even of inflammation and chronic disease. 
Green olives, brandied peaches, and other pre- 
serves must be put in the same Category. Fresh, 
crisp cucumbers are very wholesome for per- 
sons whose digestive organs are in a fair condi- 
tion. Lemon juice should be substituted for 
vinegar. The acid of vinegar has been shown 
by Boix to be twice as active as alcohol in pro- 
ducing "gin liver." It is quite unwholesome for 
well persons, and must be rigorously excluded 
from the bill of fare of the invalid. 

Benjamin Franklin a Diet Reformer 

Q. Was Benjamin Franklin a vegetarian? 

A. In his autobiography Franklin describes 
his diet as, at least at certain periods, strictly ex- 
cluding flesh meats of all sorts. He declares 
that on this simple fare he found himself able 
to do more work than his companions on their 
ordinary meat fare and that the expense of the 
food was scarcely as great. 

Franklin became so much engaged in politics 
and in the struggle of the colonies for inde- 
pendence that he seems to have made no serious 
effort to propagate his heretical dietetic views, 
but in his autobiography he not only mentions 
his experiments with a non-flesh dietary, but 
clearly declares his belief in its efficiency and su- 
periority. 



594 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Sulphuric Acid in Fruit 

Q. Is there any test to determine whether 
the dried fruits in the market contain sul- 
phuric acid? 

A. Yes. To a decoction of the fruit to be 
tested add a few drops of a ten-per-cent solu- 
tion of barium chloride. A white precipitate 
may result. If this still remains after the addi- 
tion of two or three drops of strong hydro- 
chloric acid, it is evidence of the presence of 
excess of sulphates. 

Alum in Baking Powder 

Q. Is alum injurious when used with foods 
in the form of baking powder? 

A. Alum is an astringent, an emetic, and a 
mild escharotic. In solution, alum condenses 
the tissues by coagulating their albumin. It is 
a poison, and produces gastrointestinal irri- 
tation. 

Baking Powder 

Q. Are baking powders harmful? 

A. The free use of baking powders, as well as 
the free use of common salt, is unquestionably 
responsible to a degree at least for the dyspepsia 
which has come to be almost universal at the 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 595 

present time. Simplicity is the first essential to 
safety. The addition of chemical substances 
of any sort to our natural foodstuffs is un- 
wise and dangerous. Funk states that the alkalis 
of baking powders may destroy vitamines. 

The No-Breakfast Plan 

Q. When a person eats no breakfast, is it 
best to take a little fruit or to go without even 
that? 

A. If one has little appetite in the morning 
it is better to make the breakfast consist of 
fruit, or fruit and bran with lettuce and celery. 
A breakfast of this sort will furnish bulk, 
whereby the bowels will be stimulated to action 
without imposing any heavy burden upon the 
digestive glands since the amount of nutriment 
afforded by such a breakfast is so small that 
very little digestive fluid will be required. 

Diet in Gold Countries 

Q. Will a fleshless diet support life in a 
cold country like the Arctic region? 

A. That flesh food is not absolutely essential 
to sustain life in the Arctic regions is proven by 
the fact that the musk-ox, the reindeer, and 



596 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

other vegetable eating animals flourish in those 
regions, although their food is of the most scanty 
kind. Again, it should be remembered that the 
albuminous elements, which are most abundant 
in flesh food, are not those which supply the 
largest amount of heat to the body. The heat- 
producing elements are the carbonaceous, of 
which vegetables contains a large proportion in 
the form of starch, sugar, and fat. 

Faintness Before Eating 

Q. When one feels faint before eating what 
is the cause? 

A. There is an irritated condition of the 
stomach and it means one should avoid eating 
large meals or bulky food and especially should 
avoid acids, mustard, pepper and condiments. 

Proper Reclining Position after Eating 

Q. On which side should one lie after eat- 
ing? 

A. Observations made with x-ray after a bis- 
muth meal have demonstrated that lying upon 
the left side immediately after eating aids the 
passage of food from the stomach. Persons who 
have dilatation of the stomach or who experi- 
ence a sense of weight and heaviness or pro- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 597 

longed delay of food in the stomach after eat- 
ing often find relief in lying- upon the left side. 

Benzoate of Soda 

Q. Is food containing benzoate of soda 
harmful? 

A. Some years ago, Doctor Wiley, then at 
the head of the United States Pure Food De- 
partment, condemned benzoate of soda as a food 
preservative. The German government having 
become interested in the controversy in this 
country appointed a board of experts which 
criticised the findings of the Referee board 
which had reversed Doctor Wiley's decision and 
confirmed the position taken by Doctor Wiley. 
The German commission maintained that the 
experiments with large doses of benzoates made 
by the Referee Board were of too short dura- 
tion, and held that ill results might easily fol- 
low the long-continued administration of the 
preservative in very large doses. It also ad- 
vised against the use of benzoates in food on 
the theoretical ground that, though they were 
evidently innocuous in small doses, one might 
eat and drink in the course of the day so many 
things containing them that a sufficient quantity 
might be taken to be injurious. 



598 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Flax Seed 

Q. Is flax seed a good laxative? 

A. Flax seed used in its ordinary form is 
highly indigestible, and hence may act as a stim- 
ulant to the intestine. It has no specific laxative 
properties. 

Fruit Diet 

Q, What constitutes a sufficient fruit meal 
when the fruit diet is kept up for three or four 
days? 

A. As much as can be conveniently eaten. 

Time for Meals 

Q. What are the best hours for meals, 
especially for the dinner hour? 

A. Food is fuel. It supplies energy to the 
body just as coal supplies energy to a locomo- 
tive. The body begins to receive energy from 
the food almost immediately after it is taken 
into the stomach. The intake of energy from 
food increases steadily for the first three hours, 
then it begins to diminish. It is evident then, 
that a hearty meal should be taken early in the 
day instead of late at night. A portion of the 
food taken is stored up in the liver for use when 
needed. When a hearty meal is taken at night 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 599 

the liver has to carry a heavy load for some 
hours before it can be unburdened, and much to 
its disadvantage. 

One Meal a Day Plan 

0. Some persons have advocated the plan 
of eating once a day. Is this plan a good one? 

The number and order of meals is us- 
ually determined by the nature of one's work. 
The ideal arrangement is, breakfast at nine or 
ten. and dinner at three or four, with no hard 
work to be performed after dinner, for experi- 
ments have shown that digestion proceeds with 
difficulty during the performance of work. 
The more common two-meal plan, luncheon at 
noon and dinner at six, is good, provided special 
attention is paid the quick digestibility of the 
dinner, in order that digestion may be completed 
before one retires at night, digestion being- 
more difficult during sleep than during work. The 
three-meal a day plan is not necessarily disadvant- 
ageous if care be taken that no more food is taken 
with the three meals than the system really needs. 
Where, however, an early breakfast is eaten, 
with a light luncheon, a sufficient number of 
calories have been taken to make unnecessary 
a heavy, several-course dinner. 

When an individual's work is extremely se- 
dentary, calling for constant sitting at a desk, the 



600 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

total ration will in most cases be cut down to a 
point indicated by the individual's appetite. The 
amount called for will vary with the seasons, 
more food being needed during the winter months 
than in the summer. 

The number of meals depends also upon the 
sort of food taken and the amount. Liquid food 
containing little fat, such as buttermilk, fruits 
and fruit juices readily passes out of the stomach. 
When a considerable amount of fat is taken, or 
after a meal consisting largely of vegetables, 
quite an interval must elapse before the taking 
of food again for the reason that fat and vege- 
table substances remain a long time in the stom- 
ach. In a case of gastric dilatation the ability 
of the stomach to empty itself is grtatly im- 
paired. It is better to take foods which quickly 
become liquid in the stomach and hence are 
easily passed from the stomach into the intes- 
tines. Among the articles especially to be 
avoided by a person suffering from gastric dila- 
tation are pastries of all sorts, cheese, fer- 
mented breads except in the form of zwieback, 
meats of all sort, and of course, tea, coffee, and 
breadstuffs prepared with alkalies or baking 
powders. Butter must be taken in small quantity. 
It generally may be advantageously replaced by 
yogurt cheese or cream combined with butter- 
milk, especially yogurt buttermilk. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 601 

Yoghourt 

0. Can the yoghourt germ live in the stom- 
ach and intestine? 

A. The yoghourt ferment passes out of the 
stomach with liquids which are present before 
the acidity of the gastric juice becomes suffi- 
ciently pronounced to injure it. The yoghourt 
germs are accustomed to acids. 

It is true, however, that the alimentary canal is 
not the natural home of the Bacillus Bulgaricus, 
and it soon dies out unless constantly reinforced 
by new supplies. The yoghourt ferment differs 
from sour milk germs in being more active and 
efficient in combating putrefactive bacteria. 

To be efficient, the yoghourt ferment must be 
taken in sufficiently large quantities to enable the 
friendly germs to completely overwhelm the 
pernicious bacteria. The diet must also receive at- 
tention. Scalded oatmeal or brose (cooked five 
minutes after the Scotch fashion) is highly bene- 
ficial. Meats must be wholly discarded. 

Protein in Muscular Activity 

Q. Is protein consumed in ordinary mus- 
cular work? 

A. It was formerly supposed that protein 
was the special support of muscular work. Now 
it is generally recognized that carbohydrates and 



602 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

fat are the fuels of the body. Protein is only 
useful for repair of the body cells. Muscular 
work is supported by starch and sugar. 

The machinery of the body is so well lubri- 
cated that the wear and tear of the machine it- 
self is infinitesimal, so that only small -quan- 
tities are required for tissue repairs. The break- 
ing down of protein occurs in connection with 
exercise only when the work is so prolonged and 
violent that the temperature of the body is very 
considerably raised. 

Orange Pulp 

Q. Should one eat the pulp of oranges? 

A. The pulp of the orange if well chewed 
may be swallowed without injury by healthy 
persons. One or two oranges eaten at bed time 
is an excellent means of encouraging bowel ac- 
tion. The acid of the orange stimulates peri- 
stalsis. The indigestible fiber of the pulp helps 
to furnish the bulk necessary for normal bowel 
action. 

Salad Dressings 

Q. Are salad dressings which contain pep- 
per, mustard, and vinegar wholesome? 

A. Mustard, pepper and vinegar are poisons. 
They are not foods and are beneficial in no way 
whatever, but on the other hand are highly in- 
jurious. Mustard and pepper tend to produce 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 603 

arteriosclerosis and are highly injurious to the 
liver and kidneys. They are also a cause of 
hemorrhoids, bladder and. other genito-urinary 
troubles. Vinegar seriously interferes with the 
digestion of starch. A teaspoonful of vinegar 
is sufficient to destroy the starch digestion of 
an ordinary meal. Lemon juice is a wholesome 
substitute for vinegar. It is much more pal- 
atable, and is constantly coming into more gen- 
eral use in the best cookery. 

Salads With Milk 

Q. Should one eat salad with milk at the 
same meal? 

A. Vegetables do not ferment very easily, 
but milk does ferment and putrefy very quickly 
and when vegetables remain in the stomach and 
some of the milk clings to these undigested vege- 
tables, the combination may cause an attack of 
indigestion. Milk and vegetables are not the best 
sort of a food combination especially for a weak 
stomach. Milk and meat are a worse combi- 
nation. 

Beeswax 

Q. Is wax of ordinary honey fit for food? 

A. Beeswax is wholly indigestible in the 
human alimentary canal. It may be eaten in 
small amount without injury, but in quantities 
might prove burdensome to the digestive organs. 



604 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Vinegar 

Q. Is acetic acid or vinegar harmful? 

A. Boix of Paris and other experimenters 
have made investigations with acetic acid which 
demonstrate that this acid is a poison and pro- 
duces in the liver changes identical with those 
produced by gin. Sir William Roberts, many 
years ago, showed that acetic acid interferes with 
digestion preventing the action of the saliva upon 
starch. A teaspoonful or two of vinegar was 
shown to be sufficient to entirely stop the action of 
the saliva. Oxalic acid, the acid of pieplant, acts 
in a similar manner,. but is still more poisonous. 
These acids cannot be used in the body, but 
are excreted, unchanged, the same as hydro- 
chloric acid and other mineral acids. Citric 
acid and malic acid are utilized the same as starch 
and sugar but have only one-half the nutritive 
value of these substances. Vinegar is also 
highly injurious to the liver, sometimes produ- 
cing cirrhosis. 

The "wrigglers/' or vinegar eels, which good 
cider vinegar nearly always contains, it has 
been recently claimed by eminent scientific au- 
thorities, often take up their abode in the in- 
testine, becoming parasites, like the tape worm 
and other parasitic organisms. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 605 

Glucose 

Q. What is the composition of glucose 
syrup? 

A. Commercial glucose contains about 80% 
of solids of which one-fourth is dextrose, a little 
more than one-half maltose and the balance or 
a little more than one-third dextrine. The sweet- 
ness of glucose is much less than that of cane 
sugar. 

Glucose as a Food 

Q. Is glucose a good food? 

A. Glucose as now made appears to be less 
objectionable than was the earlier product. At 
the present time the process employed is simply 
boiling of the starch with a solution of one- 
tenth of one per cent of hydrochloric acid. The 
effect is to change part of the starch into sugar. 
A considerable portion remains in an artificial 
form of dextrine. The acid is neutralized by 
the addition of carbonate of soda forming chlor- 
ide of sodium which can hardly be considered 
harmful, which could not be said of the residues 
left by the older processes in which sulphuric 
acid was employed. Glucose can hardly be re- 
garded as being as wholesome as the natural 
sugars of fruits. 



606 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The Food Value of the Banana 

Q. What is the food value of the banana? 

, A Recent studies of the banana show that 
it is an exceedingly valuable foodstuff. Care 
must be taken, however, to see that the fruit 
is thoroughly ripened. Bananas are always picked 
green. Recent analyses made by A. R. Thomp- 
son, show that the green banana contains about 
20% of starch, whereas the ripe banana contains 
practically no starch at all, the starch having 
been converted into sugar by the ripening pro- 
.cess. When half ripe, the banana is slightly acid. 
This slight acidity disappears when the fruit is 
fully ripened. The thoroughly ripened banana 
contains only 3% of insoluble material. Car- 
bohydrates other than starch or sugar are 
found in the banana in only very small amounts. 

Wholesomeness of Bananas 

Q. Are bananas as ordinarily sold in the 
market a perfectly wholesome food? 

A. Bananas are only wholesome and easily 
digestible when they are well matured and 
thoroughly ripe. Such bananas can now gen- 
erally be obtained in the markets in all our large 
cities. When purchasing, care should be taken 
to see that the fruit is plump and fully matured. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 607 

It is immaterial whether they are ripened in the 
market or whether they are purchased green 
and taken home to be ripened in some 
warm, dry place. When ready for use, the skin 
of the fruit will be nearly black or quite so. The 
fruit should be mellow as a peach. In this con- 
dition, the banana contains a large amount of 
sugar and dextrin with little or no starch and is 
a very wholesome and easily digestible food. 
Great care must be taken in mastication. Every 
particle of the fruit should be reduced to a pulp 
before swallowing. A very good method of eat- 
ing the banana is to reduce it to a pulp by passing 
through a colander. The ripe banana may be 
crushed in a tumbler with a knife or spoon, then 
beaten up to a fine pulp with a fork. When 
taken in this way, there is no more digestible food 
than a ripe banana. 

Fruit Acids 

Q. Are the acids of lemons and other fruit 
acids wholesome for persons suffering from 
uric acid poisoning? 

A. Yes. 

Fruit juices of all sorts contain in addition to 
vegetable acid, alkaline substances which aid in 
the elimination of uric acid. Pure uric acid dis- 
solves with great difficulty but the urate of soda 
is quite readily soluble. Soda and potash are 



608 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

present in fruits in considerable quantities in 
combination with other acids. When fruit is eaten 
the acids are utilized or burned in the body leav- 
ing the soda behind. It combines with the uric 
acid and thus aids its elimination. The popular 
idea that the acids of fruits are unwholesome for 
persons suffering from gout and other uric acid 
disorders is a very mischievous error. The fallacy 
of this teaching has been pointed out for many 
years by scientific writers on dietetics, but like 
many other popular fallacies this erroneous no- 
tion is very hard to eradicate. Rice, potatoes and 
fresh vegetables of all sorts are very excellent 
foods for one who needs to combat uric acid. 

Exclusive Fruit Diet 

Q. Can life be sustained upon a diet con- 
sisting exclusively of fruits? 

A. By making a proper selection of fruits it 
is possible to construct a dietary quite capable of 
sustaining life for an indefinite period. Bananas, 
figs, dates, raisins and prunes contain an over- 
abundance of nutritive material in sufficiently 
concentrated form to be readily available as 
suitable foodstuffs. The only element lacking 
is fats and these may be readily obtained from 
such fruits as the avocado or alligator pear of 
the tropics and by the addition of nuts to the 
bill of fare. Nuts are properly classed with 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 609 

fruits. By a combination of fruits and nuts a 
very complete and luxurious bill of fare may be 
provided. 

The Germs of Fruit Skins 

Q. Why is it necessary to disinfect fresh 
fruits? 

A. The late Ellen H. Richards, of the Mas- 
sachusetts Institute of Technology, made some 
years ago a study of the condition of fruit 
found on open air fruit stands. A pint of vari- 
ous fruits taken at random from a stand were 
washed and a bacteriological examination made 
of the washings. 140,000,000 germs were ob- 
tained from this single pint of fruit. Fruit thus 
exposed to street dust is certain to collect a great 
number of germs derived from the excreta of 
animals and other dangerous sources, and is 
quite unfit for food. No fruit should ever be 
eaten without thorough washing and disinfection 
by soaking for five minutes in a solution of hy- 
drogen peroxide one to twenty. 

Seeds of Fruits 

Q. Is it dangerous to swallow seeds of 
fruits, such as grape seeds, cherry seeds, etc? 

A. The seeds of fruit consist chiefly of cellu- 
lose. Small seeds such as are found in figs, blue 



610 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

berries, raspberries and most other seedy fruits 
are entirely harmless and are perhaps to some 
degree beneficial through increasing the bulk of 
the food. Large seeds, as those of the apple or 
grape and the cherry if taken in a considerable 
quantity might prove burdensome to the intestine 
and on this account ought to be discarded. It 
should be mentioned however, that the danger 
which many people apprehend from the entrance 
of these seeds into the appendix is wholly 
imaginary. Seeds are sometimes found in a dis- 
eased appendix but their presence is purely ac- 
cidental; they are not the cause of the disease 
but a consequence. When the appendix becomes 
diseased in such a way that the valve which 
guards its mouth no longer operates, remaining 
open, seeds and other foreign bodies may find 
their way into the appendix and possibly may 
thus become a source of injury and danger al- 
though the danger from this source must be 
quite remote. 

Grape Seeds 

Q. In eating fresh grapes, should one re- 
ject the seeds and skin? 

A. Yes, the skins and seeds of grapes have 
no nutritive value whatever and should be en- 
tirely discarded. In cases in which grapes are 
not fully ripe, it is well to discard the pulp also. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 61 1 

It has little or no nutritive value, and if the di- 
gestion is slow, may prove an embarrassment 
to the stomach. 

Fruit Supper 

Q. Is a fruit supper healthful? 

A. There is an old adage to the effect that 
fruit is golden for breakfast, silver for dinner 
and lead for supper. The adage has no foun- 
dation in fact. Fruit is golden all the time. It 
is especially wise to make the last meal of the 
day almost wholly of fruit. The food principles 
furnished by fruit are for the most part ready for 
immediate absorption and require no digestion. 
Fruit is on this account very little burden to 
the stomach and may be taken at almost any 
time without injury. A little ripe fruit taken at 
bed time, as one or two apples or -oranges, is in 
many cases a valuable means of securing prompt 
evacuation of the bowels in the morning. 

Fruit Laxatives and Laxative Drugs 

Q. What is the difference between the ef- 
fects of laxative fruits and laxative drugs? 

A. Fruit stimulates the intestines to activity 
through the acids and sugars which they normally 
contain and which excite the bowel to action 
without irritating it, whereas laxative drugs are 



612 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

without exception irritants, and when their use 
is long continued the common result is colitis or 
chronic infection of the colon. Aloes, epsom salts, 
cascara sagrada, Seidlitz powders and a long list 
of laxative drugs are all without exception more 
or less injurious. 

Lemon Juice 

Q. Does lemon juice aid digestion? 

A. Yes, all vegetable acids act as normal 
stimulants to the stomach and promote the fluw 
of gastric juice. Vegetable acids are especially 
valuable when the gastric juice contains no acid. 
In such cases, the fruit acids are able to fill the 
place of the gastric acid to a very marked degree. 

Prunes 

« Q. Is the free use of prunes to be recom- 
mended for laxative effects? 

A. Prunes soaked in water for twenty-four 
to forty-eight hours and freely eaten have a de- 
cided laxative effect. Prunes are much used for 
this purpose hy eminent German physicians. 
Some experiments made in the laboratory of the 
Battle Creek Sanitarium some years ago showed 
that prunes contained so large an amount of ben- 
zoic acid that they tend to acidify the urine. This 
is the only possible objection to their use. When 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 613 

eaten in connection with fresh vegetables in li- 
beral quantities this objection would probably not 
hold good as the small amount of benzoic acid 
would be neutralized but if eaten freely in con- 
nection with a cereal diet, the urine might be 
rendered so highly acid as to be decidedly injuri- 
ous in some cases, especially in cases in which 
the bladder or kidneys are diseased. 

Grapefruit 

Q. When should grapefruit be eaten? 

A. At any time. At breakfast, dinner, sup- 
per or between meals. Whenever one feels in- 
clined. Such food does not require any work 
of the stomach. 

When fully ripened, the fruit is sweet enough 
without sugar. Much sugar added is likely to 
cause hyperacidity and gastric irritation. 

Food Value of Grapefruit 

Q. What is the food value of the grape- 
fruit? 

A. The grape fruit, like other citrus fruits, 
is chiefly valuable for the sugar and citric acid 
which it contains. The food value of an ordi- 
nary sized grapefruit is 100 calories, or about 
the same as four ounces of grape juice or five 
ounces of milk, or a large slice of bread. 



614 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Sterilizing Uncooked Fruits 

Q. How may fresh, uncooked fruits be 
sterilized? 

A. An excellent method of sterilizing vege- 
tables and fruits is to immerse them after wash- 
ing in a five percent solution of peroxide of hy- 
drogen for five minutes. This will destroy all 
germs and parasites. The same solution may be 
used several times. Rinse in water after the per- 
oxide bath. 

Dietetic Value of Acid Fruits 

Q. What are the especial benefits to be de- 
rived from acid fruits? 

A. Many people have noticed the marked 
benefit from the use of acid fruits. The writer 
has not infrequently been told by persons suf- 
fering from dyspeptic disorders that the juice 
of a lemon taken soon after meals has some- 
times given relief. Others have been benefitted 
by apple juice and others by moderately acid 
fruits. 

The nature of this beneficial effect of fruit was 
not understood until experiments by Paw- 
low and others, 4 which demonstrated two 
things; first, that the acids of fruits stimulate 
the stomach to produce gastric acid, which is 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 615 

absolutely essential for good digestion; and sec- 
ond, that the acids of fruits are able, to a con- 
siderable degree, to take the place of the na- 
tural acid of the stomach when this acid is ab- 
sent. 

These facts emphasize the importance of acid 
fruits, including the tomato — a vegetable-fruit — 
as an aid to digestion, especially in cases of per- 
sons suffering from hypohydrochloria, or achylia, 
a condition in which there is deficiency or 
absence of hydrochloric acid, the normal acid 
of the gastric juice. 

Let us point out that one of the important 
functions of the hydrochloric acid of the gastric 
juice is to activate the pepsin; that is, without 
acid the pepsin is unable to do its work, which 
consists in the digestion of protein. The addition 
of hydrochloric acid to pepsin renders it active 
and efficient, and the acids of fruits have been 
proved to be to some extent capable of replacing 
the hydrochloric acid in activating pepsin. 

It is thus evident that persons suffering from 
deficiency of acid or the absence of acid should 
take care to make acid fruit or fruit juices of 
some sort a part of every meal. Fruit may be 
taken both at the beginning of the meal and at 
the close of it. 



616 A THOUSAND-* QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Canned Fruits Without Sugar 

Q. Can peaches and other fruits be success- 
fully canned in Mason glass jars without sugar 
or other preservative? 

A. Yes. The use of sugar is not at all neces- 
sary to the preservation of peaches or other fruits 
in glass jars. It should be noted, however, that 
when sugar is not used, it is necessary to cook 
the fruit at a higher temperature and to prolong 
the cooking. Ten or fifteen minutes at the boil- 
ing temperature, however, is quite sufficient for 
acid fruits. 

Raisins for Constipation 

Q. Are raisins good for constipation? 

A. Yes. Raisins soaked for twenty-four or 
forty-eight hours and eaten freely at meals are 
an efficient aid to bowel action. They are hardly 
equal to purple figs prepared in the same way. 

Canned Fruits 

Q. Are canned fruits, such as canned 
peaches, healthful? 

A. Canned fruits are wholesome when put up 
in cans which have been properly enameled on 
the inside of the can so as to prevent action of 
the acids of the fruit upon lead used in soldering 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 617 

the cans. At the present time, thanks to the op- 
eration of the pure food law canned fruits of all 
sorts may be eaten with considerable confidence 
that they are entirely wholesome. 

Green Fruit 

Q. Are very green apples, pears, etc., ren- 
dered wholesome by cooking? 

A. Very green fruit should not be eaten in 
any form. Cooking, however, to some extent 
takes the place of the natural process of ripen- 
ing. 

Is Common Salt Injurious? 

Q. Is common table salt injurious? 

A. Used in small quantities, there is no evi- 
dence that table salt is seriously injurious. How- 
ever, when used in large quantities, it impairs 
digestion, overworks the kidneys, produces var- 
ious disorders of nutrition. In certain forms 
of disease, particularly Bright's disease, cirrhosis 
of the liver, chronic autointoxication, epilepsy, 
and in all acute infectious diseases, such as ty- 
phoid fever, pneumonia, measles, scarlet fever, 
etc., chlorid of sodium, or common salt, should 
be wholly excluded from the dietary. In many 
cases of dropsy, the swelling of the limbs quickly 
disappears when salt is wholly excluded from 
the diet. The experiments made within the last 



618 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

few years in France, Germany, and other coun- 
tries have shown most conclusively that ordi- 
nary vegetable food contains an ample amount 
of sodium chlorid to supply all the needs of the 
body. 

It is not necessary to add salt to the food. 
There is sufficient chlorid of sodium in the 
food in its natural state. It would be difficult, 
perhaps impossible, to show that the use of a 
very small quantity of salt does any material 
harm; but it is generally agreed by physiologists 
that the use of salt in the quantities in which 
it is ordinarily employed is extremely damaging. 
According to Professor Bunge, perhaps the high- 
est living authority on such questions, the sys- 
tem requires only twenty to thirty grains of salt 
daily. The majority of people use four or five 
times as much as this. 

A Vegetable Diet 

Q. Is a vegetable diet competent to sustain 
life? 

A. In his excellent Work on the Chemistry of 
Digestion, Taylor discusses this question as fol- 
lows: 

"Does plant protein fill the requirements of 
a diet as well as animal protein? So far as the 
physiologist is concerned, the question of vege- 
tarianism presents no difficulties. Upon mini- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 619 

mal diets, a ration of vegetables will need to 
contain more protein than a mixed diet, simply 
because so many plant proteins are one-sided in 
their content of amino-acids. But the amino- 
acids themselves are identical in plant and ani- 
mal protein, and it is simply a question of all 
the needed amino-acids being present." 

Food Value of Potatoes 

Q. What is the food value of the potato? 

A. The potato is not only an easily digestible 
foodstuff, but possesses a much higher nutritive 
value than is generally supposed. According to 
Gautier, about one-fourth of the weight of the 
potato is food substance, consisting chiefly (nine 
elevenths) of starch. Of the remainder, three- 
fifths are protein, the tissue-building element, 
and two-fifths alkaline salts in combination with 
citric and malic acids, the acids of the lemon 
and the apple. 

The potato is perhaps slightly deficient in pro- 
tein, though this statement would be disputed 
by some physiologists whose experiments appear 
to demonstrate that the amount of protein con- 
tained in the potato is quite sufficient for ordi- 
nary bodily needs. 

The potato is certainly deficient in fa£s, of 
which it contains almost none, because of the 
fact that it is not, like so many of our vege- 



620 A THOUSAND! QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

table foods, a seed, but a curiously modified and 
enormously fleshy stem. This deficiency in fat 
must always be remembered in the use of the 
potato, and the lack must be made up by the 
addition of cream, butter, or some other food- 
stuff rich in fat. 

What the potato lacks in fat and protein, how- 
ever, it makes up in salts, which constitute 
nearly 5 per cent of its dry substance and are 
perhaps its most characteristic quality from a 
dietetic standpoint and one of its chief excel- 
lences. These salts consist chiefly of potash, and 
in the ordinary form in which they are supplied, 
do a most important service in maintaining the 
alkaline condition of the blood, which is es- 
sential to good health and resistance to disease. 
The potato is lacking in lime. On this account, 
"greens" of various sorts, milk, or buttermilk 
should be used with the potato to supply the 
needed lime salts. 

Iron in Tomatoes 

Q. Is there any iron in tomatoes? 

A. The tomato has long been recognized as 
an excellent article ' of food. It is properly 
known as a vegetable fruit. The tomato is val- 
uable not only because of the wholesome vege- 
table acid which it contains, of which the chief 
is citric acid, but also on account of the vita- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 621 

mines of which it furnishes a rich supply, and 
especially its iron content. The value of the to- 
mato as a source of organic iron has not been 
fully appreciated until recently. The solids of 
the tomato contain .023% of iron. One pound 
of tomato contains enough iron to supply the 
body needs for one day. It is evident then that 
the tomato is an excellent food for persons suf- 
fering from a deficiency of blood or blood color- 
ing matter. 

Q. Are onions harmful? 

A. Raw onions are objectionable on account 
of the acrid oil they contain. Cooked properly, 
this oil is largely driven off. Used thus and as 
a flavor for soups, the onion is harmless. The 
onion has also one special virtue. It contains a 
relatively large amount of very easily assimilable 
form of iron. 

Sauer Kraut 

Q. Is sauer kraut healthful? 

A. Sauer kraut is a preparation which has 
undergone lactic acid fermentation. Sauer kraut 
furnishes but a very small amount of nutriment, 
but it is a form of uncooked vegetable food 
which is of great value to the peasantry of Russia 
and other parts of northern Europe during the 
long winter season, where in the absence of fruit 
and fresh vegetables it constitutes almost the only 



622 A THOUSAND 1 QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

source of vitamines. The use of sauer kraut 
could be scarcely recommended when lettuce, 
cucumbers, celery and other superior fresh vege- 
tables are obtainable ; nevertheless, when fresh 
and well made, is a wholesome food. Sauer 
kraut serves the same purpose in the dietary of 
the Russian peasant that the ensilage from the 
silo serves in the feeding of dairy cattle. 

Fruit and Vegetable Skins 

Q. Is it harmful to eat the skins of Irish 
or sweet potatoes or fruits? 

A. Skins of fruits and vegetables contain 
chiefly cellulose and if finely broken up may be 
of service as a stimulant to the intestines. Care 
should be taken, however, that the indigestible 
material is broken up into minute bits so as to 
avoid embarrassment to the stomach. 

Poisons of Vegetable Origin 

Q. Do vegetables ever become poisonous? 

A. Plants sometimes absorb poisons from the 
earth. Paul Bert raised radishes in water con- 
taining solution of strychnia. The radishes ac- 
cumulated so much that they killed the animals 
to which they were fed. 

Poisonous mushrooms may cause death from 
the muscarin which they contain. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 623 

Certain moulds produce poison, particularly 
black and orange moulds, which cause vertigo, 
colic, sweating and even coma symptoms similar 
to those produced by the muscarin poisons of 
the mushroom. These poisons are destroyed, 
however, by oven heat. The green moulds are 
not poisonous. 

Raw Vegetables 

Q. Are raw vegetables, such as potatoes, 
carrots, cabbages, etc., easily digestible? 

A. The digestible raw vegetables are lettuce, 
cucumbers, celery, -New Zealand spinach, toma- 
toes ; turnips, if well chewed or scraped are 
also wholesome in the raw state, and for many 
persons the same may be said of carrots. Po- 
tatoes and other vegetables which contain much 
starch should not be eaten raw. If a person de- 
sires to live on a raw diet his staples should 
consist of fruits and nuts with a good supply 
of easily digestible vegetables to furnish bulk. 

Asparagus 

Q. Is it true that asparagus is unwhole- 
some for persons suffering from rheumatism? 

A. There is no scientific foundation for the 
popular notion that asparagus must be avoided 
by rheumatics. Asparagus contains nothing 



624 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

likely to be of any injury in rheumatism or any 
other disease except, possibly advanced disease 
of the kidneys. 

Horse Radish 

Q. Is horse radish a wholesome article of 
food? 

A. Horse radish is not food. This poisonous 
weed is altogether unwholesome and should never 
be eaten. Horse radish is highly irritating and 
caustic. 

Celery and Lettuce 

Q. What medicinal property in celery and 
lettuce causes these vegetables to be recom- 
mended in a diet for nervous people? 

A. Fresh vegetables of all kinds aid bowel 
action and supply useful vitamines and hormones 
to the body. Lettuce and celery have no speci- 
fic medicinal properties. 

Rhubarb 

Q. What is the objection to the use of 
rhubarb as food? 

A. Rhubarb contains oxalic acid, which is 
a poison and not a food. In this respect oxalic 
acid differs from food acids. Citric acid, malic 
acid and tartaric acid are the only organic acids 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 625 

which can be utilized by the body as foods. These 
are burned in the body like starch, sugar and 
other foodstuffs; but oxalic acid and acetic acid 
are poisons. They undergo no change in the 
body, and interfere not only with the digestion, 
but with other vital processes. 

Tomatoes 

Q. Are tomatoes the cause of rheumatism 
or cancer? 

A. By no means. Tomatoes are a most 
wholesome vegetable-fruit. They are especially 
an excellent source of organic salts which are 
highly useful in rheumatism as a means of neu- 
tralizing acid wastes. 

The popular notion that tomatoes may be a 
cause of cancer has been shown to be utterly 
fallacious. 

The acid flavor of the tomato is due to citric 
acid. 

The tomato is best eaten raw. Fresh tomatoes 
are a valuable source of vitamines as well as of 
alkaline salts. 

Spinach 

Q. Does spinach contain oxalic acid? 

A. Yes, a little, but the amount is very small, 
and it has recently been shown that the oxalic 
acid found in such foods is rendered insoluble 



626 A THOUSAND 1 QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

in the intestines and so is not absorbed if the 
amount taken is small. By parboiling, the oxalic 
acid in spinach may be removed. 

Soy Bean 

Q. How does the soy bean differ from the 
ordinary bean? 

A. The soy bean was introduced from China 
and Japan. It differs from the ordinary bean 
in containing one-half as much starch and more 
than ten times as much fat. It also contains 
50 per cent more protein — nearly double 
the amount of protein found in many kinds of 
flesh meats. 

The following is the approximate per cent 
composition : 

Water 10 

Oil 15 

Protein 38 

Starch and sugar 32 

Cellulose 06 

Minerals ... 05 

Potato Skins and Sprouts 

Q. Is it true that the sprouts and skins of 
potatoes contain potato poison? 

• A. The potato belongs to a class of poison- 
producing plants. Solanin, a powerful poison 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 627 

is found in considerable quantity in potato balls 
and a small amount is sometimes found in the 
skin of the potato. The amount of solanin in the 
skin, however, is exceedingly small, except in 
cases in which a portion of the surface of the 
potato has been exposed above ground. The 
skin then has a greenish color and a bitter taste 
and contains a considerable amount of solanin. 
Potato sprouts contain a considerable amount of 
solanum and must be carefully removed when 
present. 

Roasted Peanuts 

O. Which is the more easily digestible, 
roasted or raw peanuts? 

A. To be easily digested peanuts should not 
be eaten raw nor should they be eaten roasted. 

If the nuts are slightly baked they will be 
more easily digested than raw, but if they are 
roasted until they are brown and bitter, fried in 
their own fats as it were, they are quite indi- 
gestible. 

Why Cook Peanuts 

Q. Why is it necessary to cook peanuts 
to prepare them for digestion? 

A. Peanuts are more closely allied to beans 
than to nuts. Botanically, they are not nuts at 
all ; they are legumes. They contain a small 
amount of starch but a considerable amount of 



628 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

woody matter which needs to be softened by 
cooking so as to render the albumin and fat 
accessible to the digestive fluids. 

Sugar 

Q. Is there more than one kind of sugar 
and does sugar require digestion? 

A. Sugar is a very important food principle, 
entering into the nutritive processes more largely 
than any other, for all the starch we eat must be 
converted into sugar before it can be utilized. 
Every adult human being uses daily about one 
pound of sugar. 

The chemist is acquainted with many sugars. 
The following are the principal ones of interest 
from a dietetic standpoint: — 

1. Cane sugar, the ordinary sugar of com- 
merce. 

2. Milk sugar found in milk. 

3. Fruit sugar (levulose), the sugar of fruits 
and flowers. Honey consists of fruit sugar 
mixed with various flavoring substances. 

4. Grape sugar (dextrose), the sugar of 
grapes, also found with levulose in all fruits. 
A sugar known as glucose, sometimes also 
grape sugar, is made by a chemical process from 
corn. 

This is not a natural sugar like the sugar 
of grapes. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 629 

5. Maltose, a sugar produced in plants and 
animals by digestion of starch. 

Cane sugar, maltose and milk sugar are iden- 
tical in chemical composition, but in other char- 
acteristics they differ very much. Cane sugar 
is easily crystallizable, very soluble, and very 
sweet. Milk sugar has very little sweetness, 
and is much less soluble than cane sugar. 
Maltose is not as sweet as cane sugar, but much 
sweeter than milk sugar. 

Milk sugar is easily digested by infants, whose 
digestive organs produce a large quantity of lac- 
tase, the ferment which digests milk sugar. After 
the age of two years, however, this ferment is 
greatly diminished in quantity so that milk sugar 
is less well digested by adults than by infants. 
The milk sugar of commerce contains great num- 
bers of bacteria, and should never be used with- 
out being well sterilized by boiling the solution. 

Fruit sugar requires no digestion, being ready 
for immediate absorption and assimilation. 

Cane sugar is not, to any extent, digested in 
the mouth nor in the stomach, but only in the 
small intestine, where it comes in contact with 
the intestinal juice. Several hours elapse after 
taking a meal before the intestinal fluid becomes 
able to digest cane sugar and prepare it for ab- 
sorption. This is not true, however, of maltose, 
or malt sugar. The digestion of maltose begins 
at once when it reaches the intestine. The in- 



630 A THOUSAND' QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

testinal fluid is always prepared to digest this 
sugar, because it is natural to the body. 

Recent experiments made by the United 
States government chemists in the investigation 
of the phenomena of plant growth show that 
the sugar of fruits is formed from cane sugar 
by a process of digestion which takes place dur- 
ing the ripening of the fruit, essentially the same 
as that which occurs in the human intestine. 
In certain fruits, as some varieties of dates, 
the digestive ferment is absent, and hence cane 
sugar is found, the product of imperfect plant 
digestion. 

It is evident, then, that cane sugar is a crude 
vegetable product not well adapted to human 
nutrition unless prepared by plant digestion. 

As might be expected from its origin, the ef- 
fect of cane sugar is that of an irritant. 

The irritation thus produced by cane sugar 
gives rise to gastric catarrh, acidity, and var- 
ious forms of indigestion. Ulcer of the stom- 
ach and hyperacidity are doubtless in many cases 
due to this cause. 

The extensive use of candies, preserves, 
sweets of various sorts, as well as the free use 
of cane sugar with cereals, in coffee, tea, and 
in other ways, may be justly held to be the 
one cause of the indigestion which prevails 
throughout the civilized world. 

Thousands of men, women and children are 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 631 

suffering from disordered conditions of the body, 
due to the excessive use of cane sugar without 
being aware of the real cause of their distresses. 
Not a few intelligent, observing people have dis- 
covered that cane sugar is productive of sour 
stomach and various other gastric disturbances. 
It is evident, then, that cane sugar is pos- 
sessed of properties which are not found in 
wholesome foodstuffs. No healthy human being 
suffers because he has eaten a few ounces of 
bread or potatoes, fruit or nuts. No one suf- 
fers from the use of sweet fruits or maltose, 
an equally natural sugar, native to the body 
because produced by its own natural processes. 

Honey 

Q. How does honey differ from other 
sweets? 

A. Honey consists of about equal parts of 
levulose and dextrine, the two sugars which are 
found in about the same proportion in many 
fruits. 

In collecting the honey from flowers, 
bees gather with it more or less of the essential 
oils to which the perfume of flowers is due, to- 
gether with pollen-dust and other extraneous 
matters. But the bee does not simply collect 
sweet substances from flowers. It works over 
the material which it collects, in a special di- 



632 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

gestive system so that when the honey is finally 
deposited in the "comb" it contains in addition 
to the several substances mentioned a diastatic 
ferment resembling that of human saliva which 
has the power of converting starch into sugar. 
It also contains a special protein which is ex- 
creted by the bee. A recent test for distinguish- 
ing between natural and artificial honey makes 
use of the presence of these secretions of the 
bee. 

It has also been stated that honey contains 
small quantities of formic acid, a substance de- 
rived from the poison bag of the bee and which 
is introduced into honey to preserve it. 

Sugar and Athletics 

Q. Should an athlete eat considerable 
quantities of sugar? 

A. Sugar may be freely eaten by an athlete 
with benefit provided it is the right kind of 
sugar. 

Cane sugar in large quantities produces 
irritation and congestion. Malt sugar may be 
taken by athletes with great benefit and its free 
use is not attended by any unpleasant conse- 
quences, such as gastric irritation, hyperacidity, 
etc., symptoms which frequently appear when 
cane sugar is freely used. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 633 

Beet Sugar 

Q. Is beet sugar as objectionable as cane 
sugar? 

A. Beet sugar and cane sugar are the same. 
Cane sugar is found not only in the sugar cane, 
but in the sap of the maple tree, in the sugar 
beet and in fact in most vegetables and in some 
fruits. 

Cane Sugar Substitute 

Q. Is there any substitute for cane sugar 
in preserving or canning fruits? 

A. Fruit can be preserved by canning with- 
out the use of cane sugar. Malt sugar or sweet 
fruits may be added when the fruit is served, or 
sweet fruit may be cooked with the sour fruit 
in the canning. Cane sugar does not neutralize 
the acid of fruits. It simply covers up the acid. 
It is better to combine acid with sweet 
fruits, or to avoid acid fruits altogether if the 
taste is not agreeable or the effects unpleasant. 

Cane Sugar and Gout 

Q. Does cane sugar produce gout? 

A. H. Kionka, having observed that gout oc- 
curs in birds and certain other animals as well 
as in man, undertook a series of experiments 



634 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

upon the common barnyard fowl for the purpose 
of determining the influence of various sub- 
stances in producing gout. 

He made the interesting discovery that cane- 
sugar when freely fed to fowls also gave rise 
to gout. 

There appears, then, to be good ground 
for the suspicion which has long existed in the 
minds of many of the members of the medical 
profession that cane sugar may be a source of 
mischief in gout, rheumatism, and even in ar- 
teriosclerosis. 

There are at present many physicians who 
forbid the use of cane sugar in these conditions. 
It will be a comfort to sufferers from these mal- 
adies to know that there are other available 
forms of sugar. Malt sugar is now produced 
commercially and should displace cane sugar for 
table use. 

Sorghum 

Q. Is sorghum syrup preferable to molasses 
or cane sugar? 

A. The sugar of sorghum is cane sugar. It 
differs only from other cane sugars in the fact 
that it is associated with other substances which 
impart a peculiar flavor. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 635 

When to Avoid Sugar 

Q. Who should avoid the use of cane 
sugar? 

A. In certain conditions, cane sugar acts al- 
most as a veritable poison. In the following 
cases cane sugar must either be wholly dis- 
carded, or used only in very minute quantities: 

Hyperacidity, hyperpepsia (or hyperhydro- 
chloria), in which an excess of acid is formed 
by the stomach. Cane sugar greatly aggravates 
this condition, usually producing pain, distress, 
heartburn, soreness in the mouth, and sometimes 
an attack of gastritis often accompanied by vom- 
iting and severe headache. 

Catarrh of the stomach, or chronic gastritis, 
is present in a large proportion of the cases of 
chronic gastric disease. Many of these cases re- 
sult from the free use of cane-sugar, and hence 
are aggravated by its use and can not be cured 
without discarding this article from the bill 
of fare. 

Intestinal catarrh is usually simply an exten- 
sion of catarrh of the stomach, and is always ag- 
gravated by the use of cane sugar and other ir- 
ritants. 

Chronic diarrhea is often the result of the 
free use of confectionery and sugar in its var- 



636 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

ious forms, and can not be cured unless this 
irritating food substance is discarded. 

Dilatation of the stomach. In cases of this 
sort cane sugar gives rise to irritating products 
and often develops enormous quantities of gas, 
whereby the dilated stomach is still further dis- 
tended. 

Diabetes. , The diabetic patient has lost his 
power to oxidize or burn up sugar, hence must 
scrupulously avoid cane sugar, the assimilation 
of which is much more difficult than that of 
other sugars. 

Gout, chronic rheumatism, nervous headache, 
many forms of neurasthenia, eczema, and other 
forms of skin disease, apoplexy, and other 
chronic diseases require entire abstinence from 
the use of cane sugar or its restriction to the 
very smallest amount. 

Gastric ulcer. In this malady cane sugar gives 
severe pain at once and greatly aggravates the 
patient's sufferings. Its use must be wholly dis- 
carded. 

There can be no doubt that cane sugar, espe- 
cially in the form of candy, is a cause of serious 
disease in infants and children. Their digestive 
organs are naturally more sensitive to injury 
than those of adults. Maltose and maltose con- 
fectionery may be eaten freely by children. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 637 

Malt Sugar and Cane Sugar 

Q. What advantages has maltose or malt 
sugar over cane sugar? 

A. Maltose has the following advantages 
over cane-sugar: 

1. Maltose is a natural product prepared 
from cereals — natural foodstuffs for human be- 
ings. 

2. Maltose is naturally formed in the stom- 
ach and bowels by digestion. 

3. Malt sugar may be absorbed into the blood 
and assimilated without change in the alimentary 
canal. 

4. Maltose is non-irritating. It is naturally 
formed in the stomach by the action of the saliva 
upon starch and hence the stomach is adapted 
to it. 

5. In the process of assimilation, maltose is 
promptly converted into grape sugar — the sugar 
of fruits. It presents all the advantages of a 
fruit sugar with none of the disadvantages of 
cane sugar. 

6. Experiments have shown that maltose is 
a most powerful antitoxic remedy. When used 
freely, it diminishes to an enormous extent the 
growth of putrefactive bacteria in the intestine, 
and lessens the putridity of the stools, making 



638 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

it a valuable remedy in intestinal autointoxica- 
tion, commonly known as "biliousness." 

7. Still another important advantage offered 
by maltose over other sugars is the fact that it 
contains the necessary salts and vitamines for 
nourishing the bones, brain, and nerves. 

Fats 

Q. Of what value are fats and how large 
an amount of fats should the daily diet con- 
tain? 

A. Fats are used as fuel in the body. The 
amount of fat daily consumed is usually quite 
small. Nature seems to prefer to store up the 
fat for use in emergency. It is deposited under 
the skin between the layers of muscles and 
serves as a padding about the various vital or- 
gans. The fat of the food is stored up in the 
body in the same form in which it is eaten; 
that is, it undergoes no essential change in the 
process of digestion. The fats of the food are 
in the intestine converted into soap by the ac- 
tion of the digestive fluids. Soap is soluble in 
water and in this form the fat is absorbed after 
the soap is decomposed and the original fat re- 
constructed. Thus pork fat is deposited as lard, 
mutton fat as mutton tallow, beef fat as suet, 
while such vegetable fats as olive oil and nut 



A THOUSAND. QUESTIONS ANSWERED 639 

oils are deposited as fluid fats, especially nuts oils 
are the most easily digestible of all fats. 

The body also forms fat from starch and 
sugar. The fat formed in this way is different 
from other fats, having the special characteris- 
tics of human fat. From this it would appear 
ordinarily preferable to take fat in small quan- 
tities giving the body an opportunity to manu- 
facture its own fat. Experience shows, how- 
ever, that digestion and nutrition are best when 
at least a small quantity of fat is taken with the 
daily food. 

Utilization of Fats 

Q. Is fat completely utilized? 

A. According to Von Noorden, digestible 
fats, even when taken in large quantity, are al- 
most completely absorbed, the loss being not 
more than 5%. Olive oil and other vegetable 
fats are absorbed as readily as butter. Fats 
which have a high melting point, such as beef 
and mutton suet are not so perfectly utilized as 
fats with a low melting point. Fats having a 
melting point above 122° F. are practically not 
absorbed at all. Fats having a melting point be- 
low 109° F. are generally readily absorbed. Vari- 
ous oily substances such as lanoline and paraffin 
have some of the properties of fat, but really 
are not fats. These, according to Munk and Han- 
sen, are not absorbed. 



640 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Cotton Seed Oil 

Q. Is cotton seed oil a wholesome sub- 
stitute for olive oil or butter? 

A. Cotton seed oil is probably a wholesome 
food, although the process to which it is sub- 
jected probably deprives it of some of the choice 
properties which are found in natural fats 
which have not been subjected to chemical or 
other processes capable of modifying them. Cot- 
ton seed oil is certainly preferable to ordinary 
commercial butter, which is filled with germs 
and contaminated with other products of bac- 
terial action, although it lacks vitamines. 

Sterilized Cream 

Q. Is it advisable to eat sterilized cream in- 
stead of butter in cases of intestinal catarrh? 

A. Emulsified fat is more easily digested, 
both in the stomach and in the intestine than 
clear fat. However, there are certain persons 
who are unable to eat cow's milk in any form 
without unpleasant effects. In such cases, but- 
ter agrees better than cream. Butter in such 
cases may be more readily utilized if mixed 
with cereals, as in the form of a gravy, pro- 
vided care is taken to avoid excessive heating, 
whereby the butter fat is decomposed and con- 
verted into irritating substances. 



A THOUSAND OUESTIONS ANSWERED 641 

Sterilized Butter 

Q. Can sterilized butter be made from sour 
cream? If so, how? 

A. Cream should be sterilized by boiling for 
fifteen or twenty minutes while still sweet. It 
may afterwards be soured, if desired, by the ad- 
dition of a little sour milk or sour buttermilk 
to die cream, which should be allowed to stand 
in a moderately warm place over night. The 
purpose of sterilizing butter is not to prevent 
souring, as the germs which produce acidity do 
no htem, but to destroy tubercle germs, colon 
germs, and other injurious organisms. 

Butter 

Q. Is ordinary commercial butter a whole- 
some article of food? 

A. The conditions under which commercial 
butter is produced are often such as to render it 
exceedingly unwholesome. Commercial butter 
contains bacteria in great variety and in prodigi- 
ous numbers. It is not uncommon to find one 
to fifty million germs in a teaspoonful of milk. 

Butter, unless made from sterilized milk, con- 
tains germs in great quantities ; even the germs 
of tuberculosis and typhoid fever have been 
found in butter which had been made several 
weeks. Rancid butter is highly injurious, not 



642 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

only because of the germs which it contains, but 
because of the unwholesome effect of butyric 
acid present. Pawlow has shown that this acid 
irritates the stomach in such a way as to cause 
it to produce an excess of acid. On this ac- 
count it is especially important that persons suf- 
fering from gastric hyperacidity and diabetes 
should avoid the use of butter which has the 
slightest taint. 

Malted Nuts 

Q. What is the composition of this prepar- 
ation? 

A. Mialted Nuts consists of a combination of 
nuts and malt digested cereals in about equal 
parts. It is an easily digestible foodstuff which 
has been prepared especially to meet the needs 
of persons who cannot use milk or cream with- 
out unpleasant effects. When diluted with 
water in the proportion of about one part to 
seven Malted Nuts constitute a food somewhat 
resembling that of mothers' milk. When such 
a mixture is added to an equal quantity of cow's 
milk it modifies the latter in a way which in- 
creases its digestibility. Malted Nuts has been 
found useful in the feeding of infants who do 
not tolerate cow's milk. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 643 

The Food Value of Nuts 

Q. V/hat is the food value of nuts? 

A. Nuts are the most highly concentrated of 
all natural foods. For example, a pound of al- 
monds contains as much protein as a pound and 
a half of meat, as much fat as two-thirds of a 
pound of butter, besides some carbohydrate. 
With the exception of fats and oils there are 
no natural foodstuffs which compare in nutritive 
value with nuts. 

The Digestibility of Nuts 

Q. What nuts are most easily digestible? 

A. All nuts are easily digestible if well 
chewed. 

It is best to remove the skins and crush them 
by passing through a mill of some sort. A mill 
that divides into small bits without crushing into 
a paste is, however, worse than none, as die 
small particles cannot be easily chewed, and are 
likely to be swallowed without thorough masti- 
cation. 

The nuts must be reduced to a fine paste 
to be easily digested. 



644 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Peanut Oil 

Q. Do you regard oil made from peanuts 
as wholesome? 

. A. Yes. Peanut oil is a wholesome food 
providing it is good oil. If the oil is rancid, 
then it is of course unwholesome. Peanut oil 
is a little more digestible than olive oil and is 
perhaps better for people who suffer from hy- 
popepsia than olive oil because olive oil of all 
substances known, lessens the activities of the 
stomach in producing gastric juice. 

Olive Oil and Other Oils as Foods 
for Fattening 

Q. Is olive oil fattening? 

A. Olive oil and other oils are fattening 
when taken in sufficient quantity. To produce 
fattening effects, however, it is necessary that the 
oil should be taken as an addition to a full diet, 
that is, a diet sufficient in quantity to supply 
the needs of the body without olive oil. When 
taken in this way practically all of the oil eaten 
will be deposited as fat and thus will produce a 
definite gain in weight. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 645 

Nut Oils 

Q. Are nut oils a wholesome substitute for 
butter? 

A. Nut oils are more digestible than butter 
or other animal fats and have the further ad- 
vantage that in their use there is no danger of 
infection from tubercle and other disease pro- 
ducing germs. When prepared from fresh ma- 
terial, nut oils are a most wholesome source of 
fat. 

Oils which are prepared from rancid cocoa- 
nuts by chemical refining processes can hardly 
be regarded as wholesome food. 

Freshly prepared nut oils resemble butter 
more closely in chemical composition than do 
other fats. 

The oils also have the further advantage 
that, like butter, they are rich in vitamines. The 
refined fats which are now much used for but- 
ter substitutes are wholly lacking in vitamines, 
the great importance of which has been demon- 
strated by recent experiments. The average 
diet is already so deficient in vitamines it is im- 
portant to avoid adding to the bill of fare any 
other substances which fail to provide this im- 
portant food element. 



646 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Cotton Seed Oil 

Q. Can you recommend the use of cotton- 
seed oil? 

A. It may be wholesome, but we have never 
thought it best to recommend it, as there are 
plenty of good fats concerning which no ques- 
tion could be raised. 

Olive Oil Not Laxative 

Q. Is olive oil a wholesome laxative, and 
is it better than white Russian oil? 

A. Olive oil is a wholesome food, when taken 
in moderate quantity. In a few cases, a table- 
spoonful of olive oil taken before each meal acts 
as a laxative, though generally the amount of 
olive oil which can be safely taken is not suf- 
ficient to produce definite laxative effects. When 
taken in large quantities, olive oil, like other 
fats, promotes intestinal putrefaction, though 
olive oil is less objectionable than animal fats. 
Specially refined white Russian paraffin oil pro- 
duces an excellent laxative effect, in quantities 
of one or two tablespoonsful taken fifteen to 
thirty minutes before each meal. Olive oil is 
digested and absorbed, and it is for this reason 
that it does not produce marked laxative ef- 
fects. Paraffin oil is not a fat and is not di- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 647 

gested and hence is not absorbed. Its action 
is purely mechanical, its effect being that of a 
lubricant. 

Fat and Biliousness 

Q. If the use of fats makes a person bilious 
would the exclusion of fats from the diet be 
harmful ? 

A. Fat should not be entirely excluded from 
the dietary. A certain amount of fat is neces- 
sary for good nutrition; at least one ounce a 
day. Many persons who cannot use fat in the 
form of cream are able to take sterilized but- 
ter or olive oil without inconvenience. 

Tropical Fats 

Q. Where do the natives of the tropics 
get their fat? 

A. The natives of the tropics find an abun- 
dance of oil in the cocoanut, the olive, palm 
seeds, and various other tropical fruits. 

Fat Ration 

Q. How many ounces of butter fat should 
one eat daily, provided no other fats are taken? 

A. The average person may consume two 
and a half to three ounces of butter fat daily, 
providing no other fat is taken. Persons who 



648 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

suffer distress from acid formation in the stom- 
ach may often use more fat with advantage. 
Persons whose stomachs do not produce a suf- 
ficient amount of hydrochloric acid should avoid 
the excessive use of fat. In such cases two 
ounces of fat a day may be as much as can be 
digested. A larger amount may give rise to so- 
called biliousness. 

Brose 

Q. What is brose? 

A. The Scotch Highlanders prepare a dish 
which they call "brose" by pouring boiling 
water upon oatmeal and stirring it for a mo- 
ment. This half-cooked cereal is a staple article 
of diet with the Scotch. Through its laxative 
and anti-toxic properties it is highly promotive 
of the good health which Scotch Highlanders 
proverbially enjoy. In this country the name 
"Brose" is used to designate a commercial prod- 
uct consisting of a mixture of oatmeal, cornmeal 
and sterilized bran. 

Rice (Brown) 

Q. What is brown rice? 

A. Brown rice is whole rice, that is, rice 
from which the bran or outer covering has not 
been removed. It is what is generally, though 
incorrectly, designated as unpolished rice. Un- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 649 

polished rice is rice from which the bran has 
been removed, but which has not been pol- 
ished by treatment with glucose and talc. An 
exclusive diet of polished rice will in time pro- 
duce a disease known as beri-beri. This may be 
prevented by the use of brown rice, which con- 
tains the newly discovered vitamines, the ab- 
sence of which is a cause of beri-beri. 



Food Value of Rice 
Q. What is the value of rice as a food? 

A. Rice is one of the most digestible of all 
foods. 

Boiled rice digests in one hour, whereas 
white bread requires three and one-half hours 
for digestion. Rice is highly nutritious. It is 
however, lacking in cellulose and in vitamines. 
When employed in connection with milk and 
other foods, however, especially beans or peas or 
other legumes, it is a very valuable food. 

Half of the world's population, among them 
its most hardy toilers, subsist mainly on rice. 
The Chinese coolie, living by the most arduous 
manual labor, is fed on rice. The burly porters 
of Smyrna and Constantinople, men who carry 
incredible loads, work on a diet of figs, sour milk, 
and rice. Those picturesque jinrikisha boys 
trotting along the streets and roads of Japan, 



650 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

pulling their queer vehicles at the rate of six 
miles per hour, get their energy from this same 
grain. 

Rice Diet 

Q. Can one thrive on an exclusive rice diet 
after being accustomed to an ordinary Ameri- 
can diet? 

A. A person cannot maintain health for any 
considerable length of time on a diet consisting 
exclusively of ordinary rice. The natives of 
India have fresh vegetables as well as rice and 
some fats along with it. They make large use of 
a kind of legume which is equivalent to our peas 
or beans. Peas, beans, fresh vegetables and rice 
go well with fruit. One can live well on a diet 
of fruit and rice, with the addition of a little fat. 

Polished Rice 

Q. How can one determine whether or not 
rice is polished? 

A. By its appearance. It is not the polish- 
ing that does the harm, however. The injury 
results from the removal of the bran. Rice 
with the bran unremoved is known as "brown 
rice ;" it is darker in color than polished rice and 
lacks its polished appearance. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 651 



Browned Rice 

Q. Is browned rice preferable for a weak 
stomach ? 

A. The browning of rice unquestionably in- 
creases its digestibility and wholesomeness. The 
custom of browning or parching rice as well 
as other cereals is common among the Mexican 
Indians, the natives of India, and other rice- 
eating people. 

Is Rice Constipating 

Q. Is rice a constipating food? 

A. An exclusive diet of rice will likely pro- 
duce an inactive state of the bowels, as rice is 
so entirely digestible that practically no residue 
will be left to act as a mechanical stimulus to 
intestinal activity. When rice is used largely, 
lettuce or some other bulky food should be used 
in connection with it. 

Wild Rice 

Q. What is wild rice? 

A. Wild rice is a variety of rice which grows 
in the shallow lakes of Minnesota and Wisconsin 
and Southern Canada. It is a species of the 
zizania aquatica, and is one of the most nour- 
ishing cereals which this country produces. Un- 



652 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

fortunately it is exceedingly difficult to propa- 
gate and all attempts thus far to enlarge its pro- 
duction have failed. The small supply obtain- 
able is gathered by the Indians, certain tribes of 
which formerly depended very largely upon the 
wild rice for their sustenance. 

Cornmeal Pancakes 

Q. Are cornmeal pancakes healthful? 

A. Yes, if well done and cooked on a soap- 
stone griddle so as to avoid contamination with 
burnt fat. The batter should be made without 
soda or baking powder. Recent observations by 
Funk, the discoverer of vitamines, show that 
these very necessary elements are destroyed by 
soda. 

Wheat 

Q. After cooking wheat for some time there 
appears a gluey substance in the water. Should 
this substance be poured off and new water 
poured on? 

A. No, indeed. The soluble matters of the 
wheat kernel consist of albumen, sugar and dex- 
trine, and are highly nourishing. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 653 

Rye Bread 

Q. Is rye bread wholesome? 

A. Rye bread is most certainly a wholesome 
article of food. It is to most people less palatable 
than wheat bread, but it contains essentially the 
same elements as wheat bread and because of 
the large amount of cellulose which it contains 
produces a useful laxative effect. 

Bread Without Yeast 

Q. By what process can bread be raised 
without the use of yeast? 

.-/. Most primitive people make bread with- 
out yeast. The introduction of the use of yeast 
in bread making has doubtless been a great in- 
jury to the human family. There are several 
methods of making excellent bread without yeast. 
Brief!}" stated, the following are a few. 

(1) The Mexican Indians make a ver> 
toothsome bread which they call tortillas, by first 
hulling corn by soaking it in hot limewater, and 
then grinding the moist corn into a paste, finally 
making the paste into cakes resembling griddle 
cakes by compression between the hands. The 
cakes are baked on tins placed over hot coals. 
When well baked, tortillas are crisp, sweet and 
wholesome. (2) The Arabs make bread of flour 



654 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

by a simple process of grinding the whole wheat 
after washing and drying in the sun, then mak- 
ing into a stiff dough with water and baking 
in thin cakes on a hot tin or flat stone. (3) 
The people of the South make beaten biscuit 
by making a stiff dough with flour and water 
and a little salt, then beating for a long time 
with hammer or mallet and baking in small thick 
cakes. (4) A very toothsome bread can be made 
by beating flour and water together to a batter 
a little thicker than pancake batter and baking 
in cast-iron gem pans. The pans should be very 
hot before the batter is put in. A quick 
oven and some practice are required for good 
results. A variation of this method which gives 
most excellent results is to add white of egg to 
the batter, stirring it in quickly just before 'put- 
ting in the pans. 

Why Not Use White Bread 

Q. Authorities state that the protein in 
whole wheat bread is only .2 per cent more 
than in white bread, and that it contairis 3.4 
per cent less carbohydrates than white bread. 
Is not fine flour bread then preferable? 

A. Neither the amount of protein nor the 
amount of carbohydrates in a flour, is a true 
measure of its value as a food. -Qie of the 
most important elements of cereal foods are the 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 655 

salts that this class of foods contain, which are 
of great value to the body in maintaining the 
strength and vitality of the bones. These salts, 
of which lime constitutes the largest share, are 
for the most part combined with phosphoric 
acid. They are also highly necessary for the 
nutrition of the body. The whole wheat con- 
tains four grains of lime, besides the accompany- 
ing phosphoric acid, to the pound, whereas 
white bread contains only one grain to the 
pound. In addition, it should be remembered 
that the cellulose contained in the whole wheat 
(or rather the whole meal, for "whole wheat" 
flour does not really represent the whole wheat) 
is also of great value as an aid to normal in- 
testinal activity. It should be remembered that 
whole wheat bread does not represent the entire 
grain. The term whole wheat as commercially 
used designates a flour from which the coarse 
bran has been removed, or rather a mixture of 
flours which contain a certain proportion of 
middlings. The above remarks apply to graham 
flour as well as whole wheat. 

Whole Wheat 

Q. Does whole wheat, the whole grain, 
soaked and boiled until perfectly tender, con- 
tain everything the human system requires? 

A. No. The wheat grain does not supply 



656 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

the needed elements in proper proportion, as it 
contains a smaller proportion of fat than is re- 
quired by an ideal ration. 

Mushes 

Q. Why are mushes prepared from cereals 
injurious? 

A. Cooked cereals and mushes are not to be 
altogether condemned. The chief objection is 
that being soft they are likely to be swallowed 
without proper mastication. This objection may 
be removed, however, by taking care to chew the 
food thoroughly or at least to retain it in the 
mouth long enough to secure proper mixture of 
saliva. 

In the case of persons who suffer from 
hyperacidity chewing may be omitted with ad- 
vantage. Another objection to the use of mushes 
as ordinarily prepared is that long cooking ren- 
ders the starch so easily digestible that it is all 
completely digested and absorbed in the small 
intestine so that only a portion reaches the colon. 
This encourages putrefaction in the colon and 
leads to constipation. The old Scotch method 
of preparing oat meal is interesting. Hot water 
was poured upon the meal, which was stirred 
until thickened and then served at once. An 
excellent plan is to stir meal, either oat meal 
or corn meal into boiling water until the mix- 
ture "sets." 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 657 

The mush is then ready to serve immediately. 
Cereals are made more wholesome by the ad- 
dition of one-third or one-fourth their bulk of 
bran. 

Barley 

Q. Is coarse barley inferior to pearl bar- 
ley? 

A. No. The whole barley grain, like the 
whole wheat grain, is much more nutritious than 
any preparation which removes a part of the 
kernel. 

Toasted Bread 

Q. Is toasted bread more wholesome than 
untoasted? 

A. Toasted bread contains no more nutrient 
material than untoasted bread, but the toasting 
completes the cooking, which in case of ordinary 
baker's bread is far from complete, and so 
facilitates the digestive process. 

Dry toast or zwieback is preferable to ordi- 
nary bread because it is hard and dry so it re- 
quires more thorough mastication, which not 
only aids digestion of the bread, but encourages 
the secretion of gastric juice and so aids in di- 
gestion of other foodstuffs. 



658 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Home Prepared Bran 

Q. Can bran suitable for use be prepared 
at home? 

A. Bran may be as easily prepared at home as 
any other part of the grain. It may be cooked 
by itself as a mush or combined with cereals 
or with sweet fruits. Equal parts of bran, corn 
meal and oat meal make a good combination. Bran 
may be advantageously added to any breakfast 
cereal in proportion of one or two tablespoons- 
ful for each serving. 

Laxative Quality of Bran 

Q. Why is bran laxative? 

A. Bran is unquestionably the best of all lax- 
atives which can be used for an indefinite time 
without injury. Bran is laxative for the fol- 
lowing reasons: 

1. It contains a suitable proportion of cellu- 
lose, a substance which the human stomach and 
intestines cannot digest. The result of this fact 
is that when bran is freely used it very greatly 
increases the residue left after digestion and the 
absorption of the digested products. Such food- 
stuffs as white bread, milk, meat, sugar, syrup, 
lard, butter, soups and broths are practically all 
digested and absorbed, leaving behind no residue. 

But the bowel requires a considerable amount 
of residue to stimulate it to activity. There must 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 659 

be sufficient bulk to stretch the intestine, other- 
wise it will not be stimulated to a normal degree 
of activity. The intestine is not highly endowed 
with sensibility like the skin. Its walls are 
chiefly made up of muscle fibers. It possesses 
the muscle sense in a high degree and this is 
stimulated only by the stretching of the muscle, 
hence the bulk of the intestinal contents must 
be sufficient to actually distend the gut to such 
a degree that the muscle is slightly stretched, 
and this will stimulate the muscle to contract. 

It is for this reason that gas accumulations 
in the intestine produce colic. It is not the dis- 
tention of the intestine that causes the pain, but 
the strong contraction of the bowel which the 
distention provokes. This is the reason for the 
griping pains which accompany colic. The gripe 
is simply a strong contraction wave passing along 
the intestine. The amount of bran required to 
cause the bowel to act will depend upon the de- 
gree to which the intestine has become diseased 
by abuse. 

The amount of cellulose found in ordinary 
natural foodstuffs from which nothing has been 
removed by the mechanical processes of the mill 
or the kitchen, is sufficient to furnish the neces- 
sary amount of bulk for producing normal in- 
testinal activity. 

When the bowel has been long abused, how- 
ever, it is more difficult to stimulate it to activity 



660 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

and a larger amount of bulk is required. It is 
necessary in most cases of chronic constipation 
to add to the ordinary bill of fare a considerable 
amount of bran, as much in some cases as two 
well-rounded dessert spoonfuls, and this must be 
taken at every meal to insure good results. 

2. The mere contact of flakes of bran with the 
mucous membrane of the intestine has a stimu- 
lating effect. The bran does not irritate, it 
merely titilates or tickles. When bran is taken 
into the mouth, even dry bran, it does not give 
rise to irritation, that is, it does not wound the 
tongue or the gums or cause them to bleed, but 
involuntarily the tongue and cheek muscles keep 
up a constant activity until every particle of 
bran has been removed. These movements are 
quite involuntary. They go on automatically 
without the exercise of volition. 

The same thing occurs in the stomach and in- 
testines. The mucous membrane will not toler- 
ate the presence even of minute foreign bodies. 
Everything must be moved along. The intestinal 
tract must be clear. Nothing must be left lying 
about by the wayside. The intestine acts inces- 
santly until every minute particle of its contents 
has been passed on into the colon. The same 
thing happens in the colon. Contact of solid 
material or semi-solid material keeps the intes- 
tine busy in an effort to move it along. 

When the bulk is sufficient to distend the 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 661 

bowel, vigorous peristaltic waves are set up 
which sweep the bowel contents along so swiftly 
that the movement cannot be followed by the eye 
in observations made with the x-ray. But no 
irritation is produced; that is, the mucous sur- 
face is not lacerated or abraided by contact with 
the particles of bran. The idea that bran is irri- 
tating originated with the millers. This theory 
was hatched and has been vigorously promul- 
gated in the interest of the manufacturers of 
fine bolted flour. Bran in its ordinary dried con- 
dition might well be imagined capable of pro- 
ducing irritation but bran in this condition is 
never found in the alimentary canal. Before it 
enters the stomach, even before it enters the 
mouth, bran is moistened and is usually mixed 
with other moist foodstuffs. Wet bran is no 
more capable of producing irritation than wet 
paper, in fact there is no better emollient than 
a bran poultice. 

3. Pawlow showed in his wonderful experi- 
ments upon dogs that bulk, that is, distention 
of the intestine, is necessary to excite the intes- 
tine to produce secretion. This important fact 
has generally been overlooked in connection with 
the recommendation of bran. The distention of 
the intestine by the bulky cellulose causes it to 
pour the mucus and other fluids necessary to 
keep it moist and to lubricate it in its passage 
along the bowel. 



662 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

4. Some experimental evidence has been of- 
fered which seems to show that bran contains a. 
substance, probably a hormone, which stimulates 
the intestine to activity. It is probable that no 
other substance known possesses so many and 
so valuable laxative properties as does bran. If 
every citizen in the United States could be in- 
duced to take at each meal one large tablespoon- 
ful of bran it is probable that half the doctors 
and most of the patent medicine vendors would 
in less than three months' time be looking for 
some other more profitable occupation. 

The Continued Use of Bran 

Q. Can one use sterilized bran indefinitely 
without any harm? 

A. Sterilized or cooked bran may be used 
for an indefinite time without injury; in fact 
most people could with great benefit add one or 
two tablespoonfuls of bran to each daily meal 
with great profit. Bran supplies elements which 
are needed to complete the ordinary bill-of-fare 
and should be found on every table at every 
meal. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 663 

Popcorn 

Q. What is the food value and digestibility 
of popcorn? 

A. Popcorn is readily digestible if not sat- 
urated with fat of some sort, especially if thor- 
oughly masticated. Its nutritive value is about 
one hundred calories to the ounce. 

Cereal Diet 

Q. I have read that cereals may be injuri- 
ous. Would you advise one to discontinue 
the use of graham gems, bran, and zwieback? 

A. The use of breads and other cereals can- 
not be regarded as an unwholesome practice un- 
less these articles are made the principal part of 
the bill-of-fare. When one uses cereals a lib- 
eral supply of fruits and of fresh vegetables 
should also be used to neutralize the ex- 
cess of acids in the cereals. Cereals may con- 
stitute part of the dietary to advantage, but 
should not be the principal part. 



Beverages 

Cocoa 

Q. Is cocoa a healthy beverage? 

A. John Phillips Street, chemist of the Con- 
necticut Agricultural Experiment Station, at 
New Haven, has the following to say in The 
Modern Hospital respecting the various widely 
advertised brands of cocoa. 

"Cocoa is not commonly adulterated at the 
present time, and it is unfortunate that many 
manufacturers still feel that they must resort 
to exaggeration and misrepresentation in order 
to sell their product. Without mentioning the 
specific brands, the following false claims were 
found on the labels of certain cocoas listed in 
our tables; the purchaser who believes all he 
reads on the average cocoa label is foolish in- 
deed: 

" 'Owing to the removal of oil, it is certainly 
the most nutritious and wholesome cocoa now 
manufactured in the world/ As a matter of 
fact, this brand contained more oil than most 
of the cocoas analyzed, and it is by no means 
the 'most nutritious/ 

" 'Triple the strength of cocoa as usually 
prepared. Preserving in their entirety the nutri- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 665 

tive properties of the natural bean.' Both state- 
ments are obviously untrue. 

" 'Acknowledged by the leading authorities to 
be absolutely the purest cocoa made.' This is 
untrue, as it contains a large excess of added 
alkali. 

" 'Soluble and digestible.' Both statements 
are incorrect. 

" 'Cocoa is- stronger and more economical 
than chocolate,' the reverse of which is, of 
course, true. 

" 'Soluble,' 'most of the cocoa-butter has been 
eliminated,' 'free from alkali.' This cocoa is not 
soluble, it contains more cocoa-butter than most 
brands, and it contains free alkali, show- 
ing that all three claims are false. 

" 'Milk cocoa.' The Reichert-Meissl number 
indicates the presence of no milk fat. 

" 'Instantly soluble in hot water,' 'perfectly 
digestible,' 'unrivaled as a brain and nerve- 
food.' These statements are all false and mis 
leading." 

All cocoa contains theobromin, a nerve poison. 

Soda-Fountain Drinks 

Q. Are soda-fountain drinks harmful? 

A. Some of them are very harmful and 
particularly coca-cola and other similar prepara- 
tions. If they do not contain kola, they contain 



666 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

caffein, which is worse. The mixtures of ice 
cream with various syrups now in fashion are 
anything but wholesome. 

Water in Dropsy 

Q. Why is water drinking sometimes for- 
bidden in dropsy? 

A. The curious fact was demonstrated by 
Oertel that in certain cases the withholding of 
water in dropsy has the effect to enormously in- 
crease the production of urine. This is not by 
any means always the case, however, and drop- 
sical persons should never abstain from drinking 
water as freely as they may desire except under 
the direction of a competent physician. 

Grape Juice 

Q. What are the special virtues of grape 
juice? 

A. Grape juice possesses the same valuable 
properties as all fruit juices. Fruit juices stim- 
ulate appetite, aid digestion, encourage bowel ac- 
tion and furnish the body with very precious 
food elements, the so-called vitamines, which 
are of great value in promoting healthy nutri- 
tion. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 667 

Fruit Juices Combat Germs 

Q. Will fruit juices destroy germs? 

A. Careful experiments have been made 
with various fruit juices for the purpose of de- 
termining their ability to destroy disease germs, 
especially the germs of typhoid fever and chol- 
era. Kitasato and Van Ennengen have shown 
that citric acid in from one-third to one-half of 
one per cent, that is, one part to two hundred, 
is capable of killing cholera germs in one-half 
hour; one to two hundred kills typhoid fever 
germs, after several hours' exposure. Malic acid 
— the acid of apples and many other fruits — has 
been shown to be equally as active as citric acid 
in destroying germs. It must be added, however, 
that it is not safe to trust to a few drops of fruit 
juice to render bad water safe. Such water must 
be boiled. 

Unfermented Grape Juice 

Q. How is grape juice prepared? 

A. The Farmers' Bulletin, No. 176, issued 
by the United States Department of Agricul- 
ture, gives the following method for putting up 
unfermented grape juice, a supply of which 
should be kept in every household: — 

"Use only clean, sound, well-ripened, but not 
overripe grapes. The grapes may be crushed 



668 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

and pressed in a portable cider or wine mill or 
by hand. These can be put in a cleanly washed 
cloth sack and hung up, or the sack can be 
twisted by hand until the juice is expressed. 
The juice should be gradually heated in a double 
boiler or a large stone jar in a pan of hot water, 
so that it does not come in direct contact with 
the fire, at a temperature of 108° to 200° F. If 
there is no thermometer at hand, heat the "juice 
until it steams, but do not allow it to boil. Put 
it in a glass or enameled vessel to settle for 
twenty-four hours; carefully drain the juice 
from the sediment and run it through several 
thicknesses of clean flannel; or a conic filter 
made from woolen cloth or felt may be used. 
This filter is fixed to a hoop which can be sus- 
pended whenever necessary. Fill into perfectly 
clean bottles (leaving a little space at the top for 
the liquid to expand when heated). Fit a thin 
board over the bottom of an ordinary wash 
boiler, set the filled, bottles (ordinary fruit jars 
of glass are just as good) in it, fill with water 
around the bottles to within about an inch of the 
tops, and gradually heat until it is about to sim- 
mer. Then take the bottles out and cork or 
seal immediately. Grape juice prepared in this 
way will keep perfectly fresh for an indefinite 
length of time, and will always be ready for 
immediate use." 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 669 

Tea, Coffee, Beer 

Q. Which is the most injurious — tea, 
coffee, or beer and what is their food value? 

A. The three substances named are about 
equally harmful. Tea, coffee and beer have 
practically no food value whatever. 

Water at Meals 

Q. Is it injurious to drink freely at meals? 

A. To drink or not to drink with meals is a 
question which has been discussed pro and con 
for many years. Rovighi has submitted the 
question to the test of careful laboratory experi- 
ments, and has shown conclusively that the free 
use of liquids with meals increases to a very 
great extent the putrefaction of the albumins 
in the intestine, and consequently tends to pro- 
duce autointoxication, since putrefaction is ac- 
companied by the development of various poisons 
which are absorbed from the intestine and cir- 
culated in the blood to the detriment of the liver, 
kidneys, and every other vital organ. Rovighi 
showed that after a meal taken with a large 
amount of liquid the urine contained four times 
as much putrefaction products as before, 
whereas when the meal was eaten dry the 
amount of poisons was less than half as much. 
Schumann, another physiologist, has repeated 



670 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

these experiments and with similar results. 
Combe, one of the foremost of European special- 
ists in gastric disorders, confirms these results 
and requires his patients to eat their food dry, 
taking considerable liquid two or three hours 
after breakfast and after the mid-day meal, and 
just before retiring. 

The above highly important facts seem not to 
be known to some recent investigators who 
recommend water drinking because it increases 
the production of gastric juice. This is not 
new. Pawlow showed the same twenty years 
ago. Water should be taken sparingly at meals, 
but need not be wholly excluded. 

Water Drinking Washes the Blood 

Q. Should one drink when not thirsty? 

A. It is not true that water dilutes the blood, 
at least to any extent. x\bsorption of fluid from 
the alimentary canal and elimination through the 
kidneys take place simultaneously. The water 
is eliminated practically as fast as it is absorbed, 
so that the effect of water drinking is not to 
dilute the blood, but simply to wash it. In per- 
sons who do not drink a sufficient amount, and 
especially in those who make large use of flesh 
foods, the blood becomes viscid. The viscid 
blood passes with more difficulty through the 
small arteries so that the work of the heart is 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 671 

increased and the pressure in the arteries rises. 
Water drinking washes out of the blood the sub- 
stances which increase its viscidity, and thus 
lessens the work of the heart and lowers blood 
pressure. This fact is of special importance to 
persons who are suffering from high blood pres- 
sure. 

Daily Water Allowance 

Q. How much water is required daily? 

A. The amount of liquid required by the 
body daily is sufficient to balance the loss through 
the skin, kidneys, lungs and other excretory 
organs. This has been shown to be about 2y 2 to 
4^4 quarts, the amount depending much upon 
the temperature of the air and the amount of 
work done and perspiration lost. Part of this 
water is derived from the food. 

Distilled Water 

Q. In what diseases is it best to use dis- 
tilled water? 

A. Distilled water is not really necessary for 
any disease. Water which is only slightly hard 
is entirely wholesome so long as it is pure. 



672 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

When to Drink Water 

Q. How soon after a meal may one drink 
water? 

A. One may drink water in small quantities 
whenever he is thirsty. A little at a time is 
sufficient. 

Hot and Gold Water Drinking 

Q. Should one drink hot or cold water be- 
fore breakfast? 

A. That depends upon whether the gastric 
juice is too acid or not sufficiently acid. If the 
stomach makes too little gastric acid, one should 
drink a little cold water because this will stim- 
ulate the gastric glands. If too much acid is 
present take a glassful of hot water half an 
hour before eating. 

Gold Water at Meals 

Q. Is ice water healthful at meals or other 
times ? 

A. Ice water, providing the water and ice 
are both free from contamination is entirely 
wholesome if properly taken. It is only neces- 
sary to sip the water slowly so that it will be 
warmed to near the temperature of the body by 
the time it reaches the stomach. There is no ob- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 673 

jection whatever to taking ice water, provided it 
is taken in this way, but great harm may come 
from swallowing large quantities of ice water, 
not warmed in the mouth, especially with the 
body heated or in connection with meals. When 
taken in quantity, ice water stops the process of 
digestion. The delay, according to Dr. Beaumont, 
who studied St. Martin's stomach, may amount 
to an hour or two. Evidently the habitual use 
of ice water at meals in large amounts may prove 
highly detrimental. 

Most persons may take a tumblerful of cold 
water at a meal with no injury provided care is 
taken to sip it very slowly and in small quantities 
at intervals. To swallow a half pint of ice water 
at a single gulp is always harmful. 

To sip cold water slowly is a rule which may be 
followed at all times with advantage. This plan 
eliminates the objections to the use of ice water 
and enables one to enjoy the superior refreshing 
effect of the cool liquid upon the mucus surfaces 
of the mouth and throat. The cold liquid seems 
to quicken and renew the acuteness of taste and 
the zest for food. 

Sedentary Persons Need Water 

Q. Should a person drink when not thirsty? 

A. Yes. Sedentary persons who generally 

perspire little ought to take care to drink freely, 



674 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

even though they are not thirsty. Exercise not 
only tends to promote more complete burning 
up of the waste substances of the body, but at 
the same time causes perspiration, which pro- 
duces a desire for water, the drinking of which 
facilitates the washing away of the tissue 
wastes. Sedentary persons, however, not only suf- 
fer from imperfect oxidafion of waste sub- 
stances, but the lack of perspiration limits the 
amount of water taken, and so the imperfectly 
burned wastes are left to accumulate in the tis- 
sues. 

This is the source of some of the greatest 
evils which arise from a sedentary life. A per- 
son whose employment is sedentary, who does 
not perspire freely should constantly encourage 
himself to drink to the extent of three or four 
pints of water daily whether he has a desire 
for it or not. 

Juice of Dried Fruits 

Q. How can the juice of dried fruits, as of 
prunes or apricots, be obtained? 

A. By soaking the raw fruit in just suffi- 
cient water to cover the fruit so that all will be 
absorbed. After soaking for twenty- four hours, 
squeeze out the juice in the usual way. Juice 
thus prepared is much better than the juice of 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 675 

cooked fruits, but not so good as the juice of 
fresh fruit, freshly extracted. The drying of 
fruits injures or destroys the valuable vitamines 
which abound in fresh foods. 

Coffee and Fatigue 

Q. Is it true that coffee cures fatigue? 

A. It is often claimed that caffein, either in 
the form of coffee or some of the so-called cola 
soda fountain drinks remedies fatigue. This of 
course is not true for nothing but rest can really 
cure fatigue. Experiments show that coffee has 
in fact the very opposite effect, — increasing 
fatigue. 

The action of caffein is double. At first it 
diminishes the sense of fatigue, and causes- a 
transitory stimulation; this is followed by pro- 
nounced reaction characterized by marked in- 
crease of fatigue. 

Coffee Poisons 

Q. What is the element in coffee which is 
considered injurious to health? 

A. Caffein, which is a narcotic poison, and 
tannic acid, which interferes with the action of 
the gastric juice. 



676 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Roasted coffee contains pyramidine, a smoke 
poison produced by the roasting process. 

Besides the above mentioned poisons, the 
coffee berry contains other poisons which produce 
highly injurious effects, such as arteriosclerosis 
or hardening of the arteries with high blood 
pressure, Bright's disease and apoplexy. 

Gaffein a Poison 

Q. What are the dangers that result from 
the use of caffein? 

A. Caffein is a poison. It is shown, not only 
by the ordinary effects produced by it, but by the 
fact that a slight overdose may produce fatal 
effects. 

Caffeine is eliminated by the kidneys, and can 
be found in the urine from ten to fifteen days 
after discontinuing its use. 

Under its influence one apparently is able to 
get through more work with less fatigue than 
he can without caffein. The effects, however, 
are merely apparent ; all the caffein has done is to 
cover up the effect of the poisons which accom- 
pany fatigue. 

The effects of caffein on the nerves is espe- 
cially serious, tea in time producing wakefulness, 
nervousness, excitability, and unsteadiness and 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 677 

twitching of the muscles. Also, the digestive dis- 
orders, due to its tannic acid, are much more pro- 
nounced when tea is freely used than are its stim- 
ulating effects. Flatulence, gastric distress, con- 
stipation, often irregularity of bowel action, and 
sleeplessness are the predominant symptoms re- 
sulting from tea-drinking. 

Caffein as Medicine 

Q. Since caffein is used by the medical 
profession as a remedial agent in certain ail- 
ments, what proportion may be taken, and 
how often, without injury? 

A. Caffein is sometimes useful as a medicine, 
but no medicine is wholesome food. If used 
habitually it loses its effects so that it can no 
longer be used as a medicine. Caffein is pre- 
scribed by physicians to raise the blood pressure 
in cases of shock. It is one of the most reliable 
drugs known for raising the blood pressure. Two 
grains of caffein is the usual medicinal dose. An 
ordinary cup of cheap coffee contains two grains 
of caffein to the cup ; "good" coffee contains four 
grains or two medicinal doses. 



678 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

When to Drink Hot or Gold Water 

Q. Under what circumstances should hot 
and cold water be drunk? 

A. When there is pain or distress of the 
stomach it is generally well to drink very hot 
water. Hot water is also better in cases of 
hyperacidity. Cold water may be taken with ad- 
vantage in cases of fever. In certain cases of 
ulcer of the stomach, it is better to take cold 
water, and also to take food cold rather than hot. 

Sweet Cider 

Q. Is sweet cider wholesome? 

A. Unfermented apple juice is exceedingly 
wholesome. The agreeable acid flavor is due 
to malic acid, which is an excellent antiseptic 
or disinfectant for the stomach and bowels. It 
is a very highly valuable remedy in gastric 
and intestinal catarrh, so-called biliousness, 
jaundice, constipation, and in all cases in which 
the kidneys and the liver are disordered; in 
emaciation, loss of appetite, and general malnu- 
trition. It can be taken in quantities of one 
quart daily with advantage. The best times for 
taking are one-half hour before each meal and 
just before retiring at night. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 679 

Beer Drinking 

Q. What are the cumulative effects of 
beer-drinking? 

A. Gastric catarrh and indigestion, cirrhosis 
of the liver, abdominal dropsy, Bright's disease, 
general dropsy, diabetes, a bloated body, deter- 
iorated blood, a red nose, blear eyes, poverty, 
domestic misery, a wrecked body, a ruined life, 
a miserable death. 

Beer Does Not Strengthen 

Q. Does beer increase strength? 

A. The use of beer increases the weight, but 
there is no increase in strength, rather the oppo- 
site. 



Meat 

Poisons of Animal Tissues 

Q. Do animal tissues always contain poi- 
sons? 

A. The tissues of all animals contain poison- 
ous wastes, the products of the vital activities 
which are constantly taking place in all living 
beings. The activities of every tissue result in 
the formation of special poisons, fatigue poisons 
and toxic residues which are more or less im- 
perfectly removed from the tissues by the blood 
during life and carried to the kidneys and other 
excretory organs to be discharged from the body. 
The formation of these poisons is in life so rapid 
that it is only necessary that their elimination 
should be suspended for a short time for fatal 
results to develop. At the death of an animal, 
as soon as the heart ceases to beat the removal 
of these toxins from the tissues ceases but the 
development of toxic matters continues for some- 
time after, until the final moment of actual tissue 
death when rigor mortis occurs, It is con- 
sequently evident that the amount of these toxins 
found present in the tissues of a dead animal is 
much greater than that which is found during 
life. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 681 

The character of these poisons is to a con- 
siderable degree well known. Many of them 
have long been familiar through the examination 
of the urine, which is properly termed an ex- 
tract of the tissues. 

Substitutes for Meat and Eggs 

Q. When eggs and meat are discarded 
what vegetable foods should be taken in their 
place? 

A. As a matter of fact no substitutes for 
meat and eggs are needed. When freely eaten 
eggs and meat generally introduce into the diet a 
surplus of protein which can be dispensed with 
not only without injury but with very great 
profit.- Ordinary vegetable foodstuffs contain all 
the protein which the body requires. A diet of 
peas and beans contains a larger proportion of 
protein than is required. The same is true of 
most cereals. Nuts, with the exception of the 
pecan, are very rich in protein. Pine nuts and 
almonds contain protein in larger percentage 
than does meat itself. As a matter of fact, a 
pound of pine nuts or almonds contains as much 
protein as a pound and one-half of the best steak. 
It is very evident then, that one need have no 
apprehension of suffering from the lack of pro- 
tein because meat and eggs are discarded from 
the dietary. The sense of loss when these ar- 



682 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

tides are discarded may be easily overcome by 
increasing the amount of butter or olive oil taken 
at each meal, and if anything more is needed an 
ounce or two of almonds, or other nuts may be 
eaten. 

Protose and other vegetable meats are rich 
in protein. 

Is Man Carnivorous 

Q. Have human beings a natural appetite 
for flesh? 

A. Man is a flesh-eater because he has acquired 
the taste for flesh. Starting out a fruit-and 
nut-eater, the vicissitudes of terrestrial read- 
justments and climatic change brought him to 
the verge of starvation, made him eat flesh and 
become a cannibal, and reduced him to savagery. 
Civilization has lifted him up, but the germs of 
ancestral appetites still linger in him and are 
easily kindled into activity. In other words, al- 
though civilized man wears a garb of culture, 
if we probe him deep enough we find a savage. 

Is Animal Flesh Necessary 

Q. Do scientific authorities admit that ani- 
mal flesh is not a necessary part of the hu- 
man dietary? 

A. All modern physiologists admit that flesh 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 683 

food is not an essential part of the dietary of 
human beings. Von Noorden, one of the most 
eminent of living physiologists and physicians, 
in his great work on metabolism says : — 

"The old question as to whether the protein 
of vegetable origin is in respect of value as a 
food-stuff equal to that of animal origin — 
whether omnivorous man, like the herbivora, 
could with impunity draw his entire supply of 
protein from the vegetable kingdom alone, is in 
principle one which is already decided for us 
through the practice of those people who live 
exclusively on vegetable foods. Physiological 
investigation can therefore only supply the evi- 
dence that it is indeed true that the vegetable- 
albuminous substances as they occur in nature 
are equal in nutritive value to an equivalent 
quantity of protein of animal origin." 

Effect of Meat Diet on Kidneys 

Q. Does flesh diet injure the kidneys? 

A. The use of a flesh diet imposes upon the 
kidneys a large amount of extra work which must 
lessen their efficiency and gradually lead to de- 
generative processes which make their presence 
known by albumin and other evidences of kidney 
disease. 



684 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Do Laborers Require Meat 

Q. Why do laboring men eat so much meat 
if a large amount of protein is not required to 
support muscular activity? Is it not true that 
laborers universally require a large amount 
of meat? 

A. The Arabs who built the Suez Canal lived 
upon wheat and dates and De Lesseps, the great 
engineer, who projected and successfully com- 
pleted this remarkable work was so impressed 
by observing the great superiority of the wheat 
fed Arabs over the beef fed Englishmen en- 
gaged in the same work that he became a 
flesh abstainer and an earnest advocate of the 
low protein regimen and continued so until his 
death many years later. Italian laborers, Irish 
laborers, and in fact, the peasantry of all countries 
including those of the populous region of In- 
dia, Japan, Siam and Central Africa, are prac- 
tically vegetarians. The reason why American 
working men when engaged in hard labor use a 
considerable amount of meat is that meat is a 
part of the ordinary diet. When the laboring 
man has hard work to do his appetite increases 
and he naturally increases the quantity he eats, 
not simply as regards the meat but with refer- 
ence to all the foodstuffs which make up his bill 
of fare. He simply eats more of everything 
which he ordinarily eats not knowing that his 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 685 

increased energy output calls for an increase of 
carbohydrates and fats rather than an increase of 
protein. When the scientific facts relating to 
human nutrition are made as familiar to the 
average school boy as are the rules of arithmetic, 
then the workman will be better advised and 
when hard work is required of him, will increase 
his consumption of bread, potatoes and fats, in- 
stead of increasing his protein intake. Science 
has clearly shown that protein is a far less 
economical source of energy than fat and car- 
bohydrates. 

Waste of Food in the Fattening of Animals 

Q. Is it true that there is an actual waste in 
the feeding of animals to fatten them for food 
purposes? 

A. According to careful experiments by Pro- 
fessor Henry, Dean of the Agricultural Depart- 
ment of the University of Wisconsin, an enor- 
mous amount of food is wasted in the feeding 
of steers, sheep and hogs. For example, Pro- 
fessor Henry has shown that for one hundred 
pounds of food fed to a milch cow, eighteen 
pounds of solids are reproduced in the milk. 
For a hundred pounds of food fed to fowls, 
only five or six pounds can be recovered in the 
form of poultry and eggs. In the fattening of 
steers the loss is still greater; for each hundred 



686 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

pounds of food fed to the animal, only 2.8 
pounds are recovered in the form of edible flesh. 
In other words, the fattening of cattle and sheep 
requires thirty-five to forty pounds of vegetable 
food to produce one pound of actual food in the 
form of beef and mutton. More than half of all 
the corn raised in the United States is fed to 
domestic animals, involving a loss of food suf- 
ficient to feed all the people of the United States. 

Poultry 

Q. Is the flesh of fowls preferable to beef 
and mutton? 

A. It was formerly thought the flesh of 
fowls, particularly the white meat, contained 
less uric acid and on this account was preferable 
but according to Taylor, and other physiologists, 
the flesh of fowls contains more uric acid than 
beef or mutton. The same is true of veal. 

Is Meat Fattening 

Q. Is a meat diet fattening? 

A. Lean meat is not only a poor fuel but is 
also the worst diet that could be chosen, when 
it is desired to secure a gain in flesh. 

Says Taylor: "It would be difficult to select 
another diet that would lay on as little flesh and 
fat as a pure meat diet. Entirely apart from 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 687 

the consideration of the dynamogenetic aspect 
of the diet, the enormous labor imposed on the 
catabolism of protein and the elimination of the 
end products renders the diet highly undesirable. 
Even in the pure carnivora, the experience of 
breeders and trainers of dogs is unanimous to 
the effect that a pure meat diet is unadapted to 
the best functionation of these animals, as well 
as to their best growth and work. A dog will 
work on a pure meat diet and labor hard if 
forced. But coursing trainers have long had 
the experience that "meat gives no wind;" in 
other words, the maintenance, of work is accom- 
plished even in carnivora in the most effective 
manner on a diet composed of a moderate ration 
of protein and a large input of carbohydrate. 

"A rich protein diet is not a ration that makes 
flesh. A pure meat diet forms very little flesh." 

Meat Diet in Gold Climates 

Q. Is a meat diet necessary in cold cli- 
mates? 

A. The prevalent notion that meat diet is 
essential in cold climate seems to be contraindi- 
cated by well known scientific facts. 

Gautier, in his authoritative work on "Alimen- 
tation," presents the results of exhaustive study 
of the question whether or not an increase of 



688 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

proteid or albuminous foodstuffs is required dur- 
ing cold weather. With the temperature de- 
creased nearly to the freezing point, the amount 
of nitrogen found in the urine was only 4.2, or 
practically the same amount. The author states 
that there is no sensible increase in the loss of 
proteid. substances as a result of the exposure of 
the body to cold. The demand for increased heat 
is met by the addition to the daily ration of car- 
bonaceous foodstuffs, such as fats or carbo- 
hydrates. 

Entirely in harmony with these ideas is the 
fact noted by Lieutenant Shackleton and other 
travelers in the Arctic regions that exposure to 
extreme cold develops a very great craving for 
farinaceous foodstuffs. 

Excessive Meat Diet 

Q. Is an excessive meat diet injurious to 
animals? 

A. Dr. Watson of Edinburgh in experiments 
upon rats made under the supervision of Prof. 
Schaefer showed that when fed upon an ex- 
clusive meat diet there were very marked evi- 
dences of degeneracy, affecting especially the re- 
productive system. The number of young was 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 689 

greatly diminished and there was atrophy of 
the mammary glands. 

Japanese Diet 

Q. What is the Japanese diet standard? 

A. Some years ago, when the question of the 
deficiency of protein in the Japanese dietary was 
raised by Mori, a special investigation was un- 
dertaken by a Japanese physiologist, Kumagawa, 
for the purpose of settling this question. He 
found that with the ordinary diet of Japanese 
foods only 54 grams of protein were taken in, 
less than half the amount required by Voit, and 
still less than Atwater's standard. He found 
that this diet furnishes the body a larger amount 
of protein than it actually required and reached 
the conclusion that a larger amount of protein 
than this is quite necessary; that only a very 
small amount of protein is needed, the only im- 
portant point being that the body shall be fur- 
nished with a sufficient: amount of fat and carbo- 
hydrates to maintain the supply of energy re- 
quired by the tissues. He found also that an in- 
crease in the protein intake did not increase the 
amount of protein in the blood but only increased 
the amount of protein found in the excretions. 



690 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The Endurance of the Japanese 

Q. Are the Japanese short of stature be- 
cause they do not eat meat? 

A. According to the London Lancet (1904), 
the Japanese attribute their remarkable endur- 
ance for which they have become world famous 
to their simple non-flesh dietary. The fact that 
they are smaller than some of the other nations 
in stature having been attributed to their non- 
flesh diet, the Japanese government determined 
to make an investigation of the matter. Ac- 
cording to the Lancet: — 

"In 1899 a commission was appointed to con- 
sider whether by a meat diet or by other means 
the stature df the race could be raised; but 
the conclusion arrived at was that seeing that 
their feats of strength and enduring powers were 
superior to races much taller than themselves, 
the lowness of their stature did not matter. Al- 
though during the period of their ascendency 
the Samurai kept the secret that their great 
physical superiority was due in a large measure 
to the internal and external use of water, the 
belief that if used liberally and intelligently, 
water is an infallible weapon against disease, is 
now generally held. By those who go in for 
jiu-jitsu, an average of one gallon a day is 
drunk. . . . All that is really required by the 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 691 

people is that the water shall be pure. By the 
copious ingestion of water the action of the 
bowels and kidneys is stimulated, and it is note- 
worthy that rheumatism is almost unknown in 
Japan; it is probable that the absence of meat 
from the diet, combined with the use of plenty 
of water, accounts for this immunity. Bathing 
is indulged in frequently even by the poorest. 
The water in the bath is heated to a temper- 
ature which would be impossible for an Eng- 
lishman to endure, — generally by a stove under- 
neath the bath. These hot baths are taken to 
cleanse and stimulate the skin, but cold baths 
also are taken to invigorate and harden. 

"Vegetables and fruits are grown in abun- 
dance, and their value as a regular part of the 
diet is realized far more than in this country. 
Indeed, a laborer is content to work a whole day 
on a dinner of tomatoes, cucumbers, and salad. 
Salad is eaten cooked, as a cure for sleepless- 
ness. 

Milk is scarce because it does not pay to 
keep cattle to produce milk ak>ne, and the meat 
is not eaten." 

The fact that within a single generation the 
Japanese have made more progress in civili- 
zation than any other nation has made in two 
hundred years, very clearly shows that not- 
withstanding their diet practically excludes 
flesh foods, they are in no way inferior in in- 



692 A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

trinsic intellectual power to the people of other 
countries in which flesh food is largely used. 

The intellectual activity, the progressiveness 
and the remarkable strength and endurance of 
the Japanese on a non-flesh dietary is a com- 
plete answer to the argument based upon the 
fact that the many millions of flesh-abstaining 
East Indians are ruled by a handful of flesh-eat- 
ing Englishmen. The absurdity of this argument 
is further shown by the fact that there are in 
India, besides the 200,000,000 flesh abstainers, 
not fewer than 100,000,000 Mahometans, who 
are flesh-eaters. 

Beef Tea 

Q. Is beef tea of any value as a food? 

A. Beef tea is made up of excretory products 
such as go to form the urine. The urine is not 
formed by the kidneys but consists of waste sub- 
stances resulting from tissue work and is washed 
out of the tissues by the blood, then later filtered 
out of the blood by the kidneys; so urine is 
simply an extract of the tissues. Beef tea, is 
also an extract of the tissues. One extract of 
the tissues is made by the kidneys, the other by 
the cook. Examination by chemists show that 
the two extracts are practically identical ; in 
other words the composition of beef tea and 
of the urine are essentially the same. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 693 

Bouillon — Beef Extract — Animal Broths 

Q. What is the value of bouillon or extract 
of beef as food? 

A. Bouillon and meat extracts of all sorts 
are valueless as foods; in fact they are worse 
than nothing at all. A dog fed on extract of beef 
dies sooner than if fed nothing at all. The 
popular idea that these meat extracts represent 
concentrated food value is the very opposite of 
the truth. The amount of nutriment contained 
in a pint of beef tea is less than that found in a 
thimbleful of wheat flour or corn meal. The 
chief constituents of bouillon and meat extracts 
are waste substances of the same character as 
those which are found in the urine. Practically 
the only way that a chemist can tell the difference 
is by the sense of smell, as the chemical analysis 
is essentially the same. The late Dr. Austin 
Flint, the great New York physician, called at- 
tention to this fact more than forty years ago 
and insisted that thousands of people had been 
starved to death on a diet of meat broths. 

Soups 

Q. Are soups, especially those containing 
meat, good for one whose digestion is weak? 

A. Soups properly made are wholesome, but 
soups made from meats are unwholesome under 



694 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

all circumstances. Such preparations contain a 
large proportion of uric acid which, as shown by 
Dr. Haig and others, is very damaging. In tak- 
ing soups, one should remember that liquids, 
as well as solids, require mastication. Each 
spoonful should be held in the mouth while 
movements of the tongue and the jaws are made 
as in mastication, until it is so far diluted by the 
addition of saliva that the taste has largely dis- 
appeared. 

When they are taken in this way, soups are 
among the most digestible of all food prepar- 
ations. 

Fish 

Q. Are fish preferable to other forms of 
flesh? 

A. The popular idea that fish are more easily 
digested and more wholesome than red meats is 
entirely an error. 

According to Professor J. Rozor, fish are more 
liable to disease than other animals. 

Roger gives a long list of poisonous fish. 

Brieger, as well as others, who have made a 
careful study of this subject, have isolated nu- 
merous ptomaines which are found in the flesh 
of fish. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 695 

Meat Poisoning 

Q. What is so-called meat poisoning? 

' A. Dr. H. E. Durham, F. R. C. Si, stated in 
the British Medical Journal: "It is clear that the 
flesh of cows and calves has been accountable for 
many deaths." The disease has been traced to 
the use of pork and other flesh and in some in- 
stances to the use of milk. Dr. Durham re- 
ported 256 cases of illness from this cause, of 
whom nine died. 

It is important that these facts should be made 
widely known, as the symptoms of meat poison- 
ing, headache, nausea, diarrhea and abdominal 
pain are likely to be attributed to the use of 
fruit rather than to the real cause. It is more 
than likely that by far the majority of cases 
of meat poisoning are overlooked. It is not sur- 
prising that meat so often gives rise to intestinal 
disturbances when the fact is known that flesh 
foods of all sorts, including salted and dried 
fish, are swarming with bacteria, and to an ex- 
tent far greater than in any other food which is 
eaten. Even milk in its worst stage does not 
compare with fresh butcher's meat in the num- 
ber of bacteria contained in a given weight. It 
is true that these bacteria are generally the or- 
dinary bacteria of putrefaction, that is, such 
bacteria as are found in a dead rat or in a de- 



6% A THOUSAND- QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

cayed carcass anywhere. But these, even though 
in general capable of producing in a healthy adult 
the symptoms which follow the use of meat in- 
fected with the bacillus enteritidis, in feeble per- 
sons and especially in children may produce a 
serious attack of acute intestinal infection, and 
when habitually used will certainly in time give 
rise to intestinal catarrh and autointoxication 
with its variety of far-reaching consequences. 

The following table shows the number of 
bacteria found in different samples of meat 
freshly obtained and examined in the clinical 
laboratory of the Battle Creek Sanitarium. 

Putrefactive Bacteria per Ounce 

Specimen When After 20 Hours 

Purchased at Room Temp. 

1. Large sausage 12,600,000,000 14,700,000,000 

2. Small sausage 19,800,000,000 19,200,000,000 

3. Round steak 16,800,000,000 25,200,000,000 

4. Roast beef 16,800,000,000 22,500,000,000 

5. Smoked ham 1,293,600,000 22,500,000,000 

6. Hamburger steak .... 3,870,000,000 21,000,000,000 

7. Pork 3,781,000,000 31,080,000,000 

8. Porterhouse steak.... 900,000,000 21,000,000,000 

9. Sirloin steak 11,340,000,000 

10. Tenderloin (well done) 756,000,000 

11. Tenderloin (rare).... 5,040,000,000 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 697 

Germs in Meat 

Q. How soon do bacteria affect flesh food? 

A. Professor Tissier of the Pasteur Institute 
found it impossible even when using the great- 
est care, to obtain flesh from a slaughtered ani- 
mal which was not contaminated with putrefac- 
tive bacteria. 

Gold Storage Meats 

Q. Are cold storage meats safe? 

A. Modern research has shown that cold stor- 
age does not prevent the growth of bacteria. The 
putrefactive organisms with which all slaughtered 
animals become infected continue to grow not- 
withstanding the low temperature to which the 
dressed carcasses may be subjected in cold stor- 
age. It has been found that a special class of 
these putrefactive organisms are able to thrive 
at a low temperature. These organisms differ 
from those which grow in higher temperature in 
the fact that they do not produce aromatic sub- 
stances and hence do not reveal their presence 
by any taint or change of odor. The flesh smells 
as sweet as though perfectly fresh, notwith- 
standing the fact that myriads of bacteria are 
swarming all through it. It is well known that 
flesh of any sort which has been kept in cold 
storage for some time undergoes decomposition 



698 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

very rapidly when removed to a higher temper- 
ature. The reason for this is now plain. The 
development of putrefactive organisms has been 
going on in the flesh, notwithstanding the low 
temperature at which it has been kept, so when 
exposed to a higher temperature a prodigous de- 
velopment occurs within a very short time. If 
flesh is eaten at all it should be eaten as soon as 
the animal is killed, if possible even before rigor 
mortis or death takes place. But the use of 
flesh food is wholly unnecessary. 

Oyster Juice 

Q. Is oyster juice a wholesome food for 
sick people? 

A. Oyster juice has essentially the same prop- 
erties as urine. Oyster juice appears in fact to 
be the result of action of the kidneys and in- 
testine of the oyster. An analysis made of oys- 
ter juice in the laboratory of the Battle Creek 
Sanitarium showed its composition to be essen- 
tially the same as that of urine. It contains a 
large amount of urea and other substances which 
are found in urine. 

As is well known, these molilusks are the 
scavengers of the sea. They subsist upon the 
decomposing organic matters which they find in 
solution in the water in which they live. For 
greater convenience in marketing, extensive beds 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 699 

of oysters and clams are planted near large 
cities; and it not infrequently happens that they 
feed and fatten on the filth from sewers which 
empty into the sea in the vicinity of the beds, 
or which is brought to them by the tide. 

Numerous observations made in different parts 
of the world have shown that epidemics of ty- 
phoid fever may not infrequently be traced to 
the use of oysters. Typhoid fever germs are fre- 
quently found in the stomachs of these bivalves. 

In France and Belgium, oysters are made, if 
possible still more unwholesome by keeping them 
for several months in stagnant water until they 
become bloated and green when they are served 
up to tickle the depraved palates of French 
gourmands. 



Milk 

Cow's Milk 

Q. What is the composition of cow's milk 
and does it differ from human milk? 

A. The difference between cow's milk and 
human milk is clearly shown in the accompany- 
ing table : 

Cow's Milk 



Water 
Per Cent 


Protein Fat Carbohydrate Ash 
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent 


87.17 


3.55 3.64 4.88 .71 




Human Milk 


Water 
Per Cent 


Protein Fat Carbohydrate Ash 
Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent 



87.41 



2.99 



3.78 



6.21 



.31 



From the above, it will be seen that mother's 
milk contains about one-half more sugar than 
does cow's milk and only two-fifths as much 
lime salts. It also contains less protein. The 
protein also differs in character. The casein 
of cow's milk forms hard, tough curds, that of 
mother's milk soft curds. The digestibility of 
cow's milk is increased by adding water. For 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 701 

a young child, an equal quantity of water is 
added, and an ounce of malt sugar to each quart. 

Milk With Fruit 

Q. Is it unwholesome to combine cream 
or buttermilk with stewed or fresh fruits? 

A. The popular notion that milk and acid 
fruits are an unwholesome combination is an 
error. The first step in the digestion of milk is 
its conversion into curds. It is evident that if 
milk is curded before it is eaten no harm is done. 
The milk has simply advanced one step along the 
process of digestion. The addition of cream to 
fruit is advantageous. With persons who have a 
tendency to formation of an excessive amount of 
gastric acid, the tendency of acid fruit to in- 
crease the secretion of acid by the stomach may 
be checked by the addition of cream since it has 
been shown by Pawlow that fats tend to diminish 
acid secretion. 

Sour Milk 

Q. Would milk, also cream, soured be a 
wholesome and beneficial drink? 

A. Sour milk is more digestible, and prob- 
ably on the whole more wholesome, than ordi- 
nary fresh milk. 



702 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Buttermilk 

Q. Is fresh creamery buttermilk injurious? 

A. Buttermilk is preferable to milk in the 
ordinary form. There are some persons with 
whom milk in any form disagrees, producing gas 
in the stomach, headache, coated tongue, and 
other unpleasant symptoms. 

The fact must be borne in mind that some per- 
sons are sensitized to milk. 

Buttermilk With Fruits 

Q. Should buttermilk be used with sweet 
fruits? 

A. There is no objection to the use of butter- 
milk with sweet fruits or fruits of any sort, pro- 
vided careful attention is given to mastication 
of the fruit. 

Milk Germs 

Q. Are milk germs dangerous? 

A. Few people are aware of the amount of 
dirt and dirt of the filthiest kind, which is con- 
sumed in the use of ordinary milk. It was re- 
cently estimated that more than twenty tons of 
cow manure are consumed as food disguised in 
milk by the inhabitants of the city of Berlin every 
year. If this is true of Berlin, the amount con- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 703 

sumed by an equal population in the United 
States must be much greater; for far less atten- 
tion is given to sanitary supervision of such mat- 
ters in this country than in Germany. We are, 
in fact, just beginning to wake up to the im- 
portance of keeping the drugstore and the barn- 
yard out of our victuals. 

In a few states laws are now in force estab- 
lished a standard of purity of milk, or rather, 
we should say, a standard of impurity, for the 
standard is so low that milk which wholly con- 
forms to it can not be considered as in any wise 
clean. 

For example, in Michigan, where the 
standard is higher than in some States, the law 
demands that commercial milk shall not contain 
more than 200,000 microbes per cubic centimeter. 
A cubic centimeter is about one-fifth of a tea- 
spoonful, so the actual meaning of the law is 
that a teaspoonful of commercial milk shall not 
contain more than one million germs, but of 
course it is impossible for inspectors to examine 
every specimen of milk offered for sale ; con- 
sequently it is not an uncommon thing to find 
milk being distributed from door to door to be 
consumed by delicate invalids and feeble infants 
as well as by robust persons which contains as 
many as ten and twenty millions or even fifty 
millions, of germs to the teaspoonful. 



704 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Goat's Milk 

Q. Is it true that goat's milk is more di- 
gestible than cow's milk? 

A. The milk of the goat contains more casein 
than does that of the cow. It is also richer in 
fat. It forms a harder curd and is on this ac- 
count less digestible than cow's milk. The idea 
advanced a few years ago that goat's milk is 
possessed of special curative virtues for persons 
suffering from tuberculosis of the lungs has been 
proven to be erroneous. The goat is less subject 
to tuberculosis than the cow only so long as it 
lives out of doors. When confined in a stable 
as cows are usually kept the goat becomes tu- 
berculous. 

Raw Milk 

Q. Is raw milk laxative? 

A. Raw milk when eaten freely is somewhat 
laxative. The milk sugar which it contains is 
slowly absorbed and on this account is generally 
in some part changed by fermentation to lactic 
acids which like all other acids act as a stimu- 
lant to the intestine and so encourage bowel 
action. This is especially true when the quantity 
of milk taken is large enough to prevent com- 
plete absorption of the milk sugar in the small 
intestine. When some portion of the sugar finds 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 705 

its way into the colon and there undergoes 
fermentation a decided laxative effect is often 
produced. An exclusive diet of milk if sufficient 
in quantity is often accompanied by decided 
looseness of the bowels. 

Milk Poisoning 

Q. What are the symptoms of milk poison- 
ing or how may one know that milk disagrees 
with him? 

A. Many persons are sensitized to the protein 
of milk and cannot take milk even in moderate 
quantities without suffering various unpleasant 
symptoms. The most common symptoms of milk 
poisoning are coated tongue, headache, consti- 
pation, lack of appetite and bad breath. It is 
probable that an explanation of the symptoms is 
to be found in the fact that undigested curds 
find their way into the colon and undergoing 
putrefaction there give rise to intestinal toxemia. 
Person who suffer from colitis are very likely to 
show symptoms of milk poisoning because of the 
more rapid absorption through a diseased mucous 
membrane. Some persons observe that they suf- 
fer less when using milk very freely than when 
taking it in small quantities. This seeming 
paradox is easily explained. When milk is taken 
in small quantity all the sugar is absorbed in 
the small intestine so there is none left to feed 



706 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

the acid forming germs which may be present 
in the colon and so putrefaction occurs instead 
of fermentation. When a large amount of milk 
is taken a considerable amount of sugar escapes 
absorption in the small intestine and passing on 
into the colon feeds the acid forming germs, which 
by fermentation produce lactic acid and other 
acids and so prevent putrefaction and encourage 
bowel action. The writer has demonstrated in 
many cases that persons who could not take milk 
in very small quantities without suffering un- 
pleasant symptoms when given five or six quarts 
of milk a day in submitting to the milk regimen 
suffered no inconvenience whatever and were 
greatly benefited by the change of "flora" thus 
secured. 

Viscid Milk 

Q. What is the cause of thready or viscid 
milk? 

A. More than a dozen different germs have 
been described which produce a thready or viscid 
condition of the milk. It is a singular fact that 
this condition of the milk is promoted as the 
basis of the process employed in the manufacture 
of Edam cheese. Conserves of thready milk are 
also made in Norway, where pains are taken 
to produce a viscid condition of the milk in the 
manufacture of a peculiar kind of preserved 
milk. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 707 

The Milk Diet 

Q. Is an exclusive milk diet to be recom- 
mended? 

A. Cow's milk is rarely indicated as an ex- 
clusive diet for adult persons. Cow's milk is ex- 
actly adapted to the nourishment of calves but is 
by no means adapted to human requirements. 
Many persons have been sensitized to the protein 
of milk. Many persons who cannot take milk 
without injury are able to take the milk regimen 
with benefit. In the milk regimen fruit is taken 
twice daily and considerable quantities of agar- 
agar and other laxative substances are taken to 
insure free bowel action. If the bowels do not 
act freely the patient is likely to be injured rather 
than benefited. The bowels should move four 
or more times daily. If the bowels do not move 
freely the half digested curds accumulate in the 
colon in large quantities and undergoing putre- 
faction produce a highly toxic condition. 

Buddized Milk 

Q. May milk be sterilized without boiling? 

A. Yes. By a process known as Buddizing, 
commercial milk may be rendered practically 
free from germs and apparently without in any 



708 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

way injuring the milk. The sterilizing agent is 
peroxide of hydrogen, which is added to the 
milk in the proportion of about a teaspoonful 
to the pint of milk. The milk must be kept for 
a certain time at a temperature which permits 
the peroxide to act most efficiently. 

Buddized milk will keep several days with or- 
dinary care. This method has long been in use 
in Denmark. It is also in use in one of the large 
hospitals of Chicago. 



Eggs 

Why Are Eggs Poisonous 

Q. Why do eggs sometimes produce poison- 
ous effects? 

A. Recent studies which have been made of 
eggs, especially by a French physiologist, have 
shown that all eggs contain small quantities of 
albuminous compounds which behave like toxal- 
bumins. Some people are very susceptible 
to these toxins, and on this account are unable 
to eat eggs of any sort without suffering decided 
symptoms of poison such as urticaria, frequently 
nausea and vomiting and diarrhea with great 
prostration. 

Certain persons are sensitized to egg albumen. 
By the application of a newly devised test, it may 
be determined in a few hours whether or not a 
person is sensitized to milk or any other food. 

Egg Protein 

Q. How many eggs per day should one 
eat to secure the proper amount of protein? 

A. The daily ration of the average individual 
should contain a calorie of protein for every 
pound of his weight. That is, the average man 



710 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

weighing 140 pounds net, requires 140 calories 
of protein daily. This amount of food is fur- 
nished by five eggs. A pound loaf of bread, how- 
ever, will furnish more than this amount of pro- 
tein. In fact, one needs to take pains to avoid 
protein, for the universal dietetic error is the 
use of too much of this food element. Thus it 
appears difficult to find place for even one egg 
a day in the dietary without risking an excess of 
protein. 

Eggs in Toxemia 

Q. Do eggs encourage intestinal putre- 
faction? 

A. Von Noorden, and several other European 
investigators have been studying the effects of 
eggs upon intestinal putrefaction. Their verdict 
is that eggs, particularly the white of egg, when 
eaten in excess, is capable of increasing intes- 
tinal putrefaction to a very marked degree. This 
is true even when the eggs are taken very fresh, 
and especially when hard cooked. When eggs 
are slightly stale the ill effects are greatly in- 
creased because of the germs which are already 
•contained in the eggs, and which rapidly develop 
putrefaction if the eggs are taken into the stom- 
ach. 

The use of eggs, and particularly the white 
of egg, is found to be especially injurious in cases 
of Bright's disease. Eggs encourage the growth 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 71 1 

in the colon of the germs of putrefaction, which 
have been proved to be the cause of membranous 
colitis and of appendicitis. 

Cottage Cheese 

Q. Is cottage cheese, or cheese made from 
sour milk, constipating? 

A. There are some people who appear to be- 
come constipated whenever milk is used in any 
form. 

Constipation is often due to the fact that 
the casein is not well digested, hence is not ab- 
sorbed, but finds its way into the colon and there 
undergoes putrefaction, producing an alkaline 
state of the bowel contents which tends to consti- 
pation. 

Yogurt Cheese 

Q. What is the difference between yogurt 
cheese and ordinary cottage cheese? 

A. Yogurt cheese is a true cheese. It is pre- 
pared by a process similar to that employed in 
making Camembert cheese without the green 
mould as is done in making Camembert cheese. 
The milk is sterilized so as to destroy moulds 
and germs which are found in ordinary cheese, 
then a protective ferment, Bacillus Bulgaricus, 
is added. 



712 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Cheese Poisoning 

Q. To what is cheese poisoning due? 

A. More than twenty years ago Dr. V. C. 
Vaughn of Ann Arbor, discovered in cheese 
which had caused symptoms of poisoning, a 
special poison to which he gave the name "tyro- 
toxicon." It is probable that all cheese contains 
at least a small amount of this poison along with 
other poisons which are produced by the growth 
of germs. In some cases however, the amount 
of poison present is so great that within a few 
hours after eating cheese vomiting and violent 
pains in the stomach, purging with great prostra- 
tion and other symptoms make their appearance, 
the result of the action of the cheese poison. The 
process of cheese making is due to the action of 
moulds or various germs which produce flavors 
characteristic of cheese by decomposing the 
casein, fat and sugar found in milk. If the milk 
is sterilized, cheese cannot be made from it since 
the whole cheese-making process depends upon 
the growth of germs. 

Every eater of cheese ought to be informed of 
the fact that ripe cheese always contains poison- 
ous substances, produced by the action of germs. 
These are not ordinarily present in sufficient 
quantity to render their presence apparent by 
seriously toxic symptoms; but the fact that the 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED >13 

cheese-eater may at any time swallow unawares 
a fatal dose of cheese poison, or a dose of suf- 
ficient size to imperil" his life and entail great 
suffering, is evidenced by the frequency with 
which cases of cheese poisoning are reported. 
The symptoms are vomiting and great pain in 
the stomach, violent purging, lasting from twelve 
to forty-eight hours, great prostration, and in 
some cases syncope. 

Drs. Schaeffer and Bondzynski showed many 
years ago that cheese made from cooked milk 
does not mature. Adametz has shown that the ad- 
dition of thymol and other germicides to milk in 
making cheese prevents the maturing of the 
cheese. 

Protein Ration 

Q. Why is the so-called high protein ra-i 
tion injurious? 

A. One of the greatest of all dietetic errors 
is the excessive use of protein. In this class are 
included meats of all sorts, and eggs. The experi- 
ments of Chittenden and others have shown that 
the chief and only necessary function of protein 
in the body is the repair of tissues, and for this 
purpose a very much smaller amount is required 
than has formerly been supposed. Chittenden 
has, in fact, by his experiments, reduced the pro- 
tein standard to one-half or one-third the amount 



714 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

regarded as necessary by Voit, Pettenkoffer and 
other older authorities. The excessive use of pro- 
tein is regarded by Chitterlden, and many others 
who have given this subject careful study, as 
chiefly responsible for the various disorders and 
degeneracies which have heretofore been ascribed 
to uric acid. 

When taken in quantities beyond the needs of 
the body, proteins encourage,, to an enormous ex- 
tent, the intestinal putrefactions which Combe, 
MietchnikofI and others have shown to lie at the 
foundation of a large proportion of the chronic 
disorders, both functional and organic, to which 
human beings are subject. 

Chittenden's standard reduces the requirement 
of protein to so low a point that the use of flesh 
foods becomes practically impossible within 
physiologic limits. Even the potato contains a 
sufficient amount of protein to meet the body 
needs. Bread contains quite an excess, while 
milk supplies a very much larger proportion of 
protein than is required by adult human beings. 
Nuts and legumes are so rich in protein that care 
must be exercised in their use to avoid excess. 
Hence it is practically impossible to add meat to 
the ordinary bill of fare without getting an ex- 
cess of protein and incurring the risk of resulting 
intestinal autointoxication. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 715 

Sources of Protein 

Q. Can one get enough protein to supply 
the needs of the body without eating eggs or 
milk? 

A. Ordinary foodstuffs contain all the pro- 
tein that the body requires. The ox gets an 
ample supply of protein from grass. The power- 
ful gorilla gets an abundant supply of protein 
from fruits, nuts and tender shoots which it finds 
in the forest. Nuts contain a large excess of 
protein. 

The same thing is true of peas and beans. 
Oat meal is rich in protein. 

Does Protein Develop Muscular Strength 

Q. Will not the free use of protein en- 
courage the development of the muscles? 

A. This question has been much studied by 
trainers and physiologists and it has been 
scientifically proven that even though the size 
of the muscles may be somewhat increased by 
flesh eating, the muscular strength is not at all 
increased in this way. It is only by exercise that 
real muscular development and increase of 
strength can be secured. 



716 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Safety of the Low Protein Diet 

Q. Is a low protein diet safe for all per- 
sons? If not what are the exceptions? 

A. Protein is required only for tissue repair. 
The condition under which the most protein is 
needed is when the body is growing. If any per- 
son needed a high protein diet, it would be the 
human infant, but Nature supplies the infant 
with a low-protein diet. An infant fed on moth- 
er's milk gets a very small amount of protein. 
The amount is less than one calorie a day per 
pound, which is less than one-third the amount 
usually eaten by adults. In other words, the in- 
fant is supplied by Nature with a very low-pro- 
tein dietary. This fact clearly shows that human 
beings are not adapted to a high-protein diet, but 
the reverse. Physiologists tell us that a high- 
protein diet does not increase the formation of 
flesh but has the opposite effect, that the carbo- 
hydrates are the real flesh formers. They pro- 
mote the formation of flesh by preventing the 
destruction of protein and so encourage tissue 
increase. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 717 

Summer Diet 

Q. Does one require less food in summer 
than in winter and is less protein needed? 

A. The amount of food required for any sea- 
son of the year depends more upon the amount of 
work done than upon the season. One engaged in 
very hard work in a hot field in mid-summer may 
require much more food, twice as much perhaps 
as a person living a sedentary life in the coldest 
winter weather. The largest amount of food is 
required by a person engaged in very active work 
while exposed to a low temperature. Arctic 
travelers consume enormous quantities of food, 
mostly fat. 

Composition of Food 

Q. What is the composition of the various 
foodstuffs? 

A. The following table shows the number of 
food units contained in various foodstuffs, both 
per ounce and as ordinarily served at the table: 

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals and dairy pro- 
ducts : 

Calories per Serving 
Oz. per Carbo- 

Serving Protein Fat hydrate Total 

Y A Almonds 4 35 5 44 

Sy 2 Apples 2 7 88 97 

6 Apple juice 102 102 

3 Apricots 4 45 49 



718 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 



Oz. per 

Serving Protein 

Zy 2 Bananas 5 

3 Beet Greens 7 

3 Blackberries 3 

6 Blackberry juice 

2Y A Blueberries 2 

6 Blueberry juice 

Ay 2 Blueberry Sauce 4 

y 2 Brazil nuts 9 

y 2 Butter 1 

6 Buttermilk 21 

6y 2 Cantaloup 4 

1 Celery 1 

2^4 Cherries 2 

3 Cherry sauce 3 

Y A Corn Flakes 8 

1 Crackers, oatmeal 13 

2*4 Cream 6 

2 Cucumbers 2 

3 Currants, red 5 

1 Currant jelly 1 

3 Dandelions 8 

V/4 Dates 4 

y 2 English Walnuts 10 

2 Figs 1 

y 2 Filberts .' 9 

Zy A Grapefruit 3 

6 Grape juice 

5 Grapes 2 

Ay 2 Hominy Grits 8 

\y 2 Honey 1 

\y A Lettuce 1 

iy 4 Maple Syrup 

1 Maple Sugar 



Calories per Serving 






Carbo- 




i Fat 


hydrate 


Total 


5 


87 


97 


27 


11 


45 


6 


36 


45 





102 


102 


3 


42 


47 





102 


102 


6 


62 


72 


87 


3 


99 


108 





109 


7 


32 


60 





69 


73 





3 


4 


5 


42 


49 


1 


72 


76 


1 


68 


77 


28 


79 


120 


106 


11 


123 


1 


7 


10 





43 


48 





102 


103 


7 . 


36 


51 


13 


156 


173 


82 


7 


99 


16 


159 


176 


83 


7 


100 


2 


44 


44 





143 


143 


6 


102 


110 


2 


65 


75 





138 


139 


1 


4 


6 





101 


101 





94 


94 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 719 

Calories per Serving 

Oz. per 

Serving Protein 

6 l / 2 Milk, skimmed 25 

6 Milk, whole 22 

Yz Nut butter 29 

Vz Olive Oil 

\ l A Olives, ripe 2 

5 Orange 4 

4 Peaches, fresh 3 

Y A Peanuts 22 

4 Pears, cooked 1 

4 Pears 2 

y 2 Pecans 6 

y 2 Pine Nuts 20 

4 Pineapple, fresh 1 

2> l / 2 Pineapple sauce 1 

4 Plums 4 

2^4 Plum sauce 3 

3^4 Prune sauce 1 

3H Quince sauce 1 

1 Radishes 1 

1 Raisins 3 

3 Raisin sauce 6 

4 Raspberries, black 7 

3^4 Raspberries, red 4 

3>]4 Raspberry sauce, black 5 
3^4 Raspberry sauce, red... 4 

1 Rice Biscuit 4 

4 Strawberries 4 

3y 2 Strawberry sauce 2 

1-5 Sugar (granulated) ... 

4 Tomatoes 4 

8 Watermelon 3 

^2 Whipped Cream 1 





Carbo- 




Fat 


hydrate 


Total 


4 


37 


66 


61 


34 


117 


.04 


17 


150 


85 





85 


92 


7 


101 


3 


66 


73 


1 


42 


46 


74 


21 


117 


3 


82 


86 


5 


64 


71 


91 


7 


104 


65 


4 


89 


3 


44 


48 


6 


145 


152 





91 


95 





99 


102 


1 


95 


97 


3 


91 


95 





7 


8 


8 


87 


9S 


18 


176 


200 


10 


57 


85 





54 


58 


7 


89 


101 





71 


75 


1 


48 


53 


6 


34 


44 


5 


95 


102 





23 


23 


4 


16 


24 


4 


76 


83 


23 


2 


26 



720 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 
MEAT AND FISH 

Calories per Serving 

Oz. per. 

Serving Protein 

2y 2 Beef, roasted 63 

2%, Beef, round 70 

6 Bouillon 15 

3% Chicken, broilers 79 

3Y A Clams 37 

5 Codfish 94 

2$4 Goose 51 

3 Halibut (steak) 63 

2 Lamb Chops 49 

3y 2 Lamb Leg (roast) ... .78 

3 Liver (veal) 65 

2 Lobsters 41 

2y 2 Mutton (leg, boiled) .47 

3 l / 2 Oysters 35 

1 Pork (bacon) 15 

2Y A Pork (boiled ham) ..51 

3 Pork (chops) 45 

2y A Salmon 45 

2y A Shad 24 

W A Trout 36 

iy 4 Turkey 23 

2y 2 Veal 52 

Diet and Working Ability 

Q. Is working ability increased by the con- 
sumption of large quantities of food? 

A. The amount of heat produced by a fur- 
nace is nearly in proportion to the amount of fuel 
introduced but this is not true with the body. 





Carbo- 




Fat 


hydrate 


Total 


183 





246 


44 





114 


1 


1 


17 


20 





99 


9 


8 


54 


5 


6 


105 


257 





308 


40 





103 


153 





202 


114 





192 


40 





105 


5 


1 


47 


66 





113 


21 


15 


71 


91 





106 


129 





190 


199 





244 


102 





147 


27 





51 


45 





81 


58 





81 


37 





89 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 721 

The body does not necessarily consume the food 
fuel as fast as it is supplied. It is a self regulat- 
ing mechanism and uses only so much energy 
material as is needed to make good its neces- 
sary losses and expenditures. 

The Colon Needs Starch 

Q. Since it is difficult to get sugar or starch 
into the colon before it is absorbed, would it 
not be of benefit to eat vegetables such as fresh 
corn and peas, slightly underdone? 

A. Yes. Green corn is much more digestible 
uncooked than cooked, and is also more palat- 
able. Grains in the milk stage are more nearly 
adapted to the human digestive apparatus than 
either dried or cooked grains. Besides, the green 
corn contains vitamines, which are beneficial. 
The general practice of cooking oatmeal for a 
long time is productive of constipation. Oatmeal, 
cracked wheat and some other cereals should be 
cooked not more than five to ten minutes. 
Many persons relish these preparations when 
cooked four to six minutes, or even less time. 
When eaten in this form, some of the starch finds 
its way into the colon and there feeds the acid 
forming bacteria. The greatest benefit is derived 
from the use of these partially cooked foods 
when eaten in connection with the bacillus Bul- 
garicus and glycobacteria, the friendly germs 



722 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

which assist in the preservation of a normal con- 
dition in the intestine and combat putrefaction. 

Brain Food 

Q. What foods are best for promoting brain 
development and supporting brain work? 

A. There is no such thing as brain food; 
that is, there is no sort of food which especially 
nourishes the brain. The foods which promote 
brain action are those which encourage free ac- 
tion of the bowels and maintain the highest de- 
gree of blood purity. The proper diet is one 
which will diminish putrefaction in the intestines 
and secure three bowel movements daily. 

Blood Making Foods 

Q. What are blood making foods? 

A. For the making of pure blood the first 
essential is pure food, and not blood or blood- 
containing food. If the blood has been greatly 
reduced in quantity, it is important to take food 
rich in proteids. These are furnished in abun- 
dance by many of the natural foods. Among the 
choicest of these are nuts, especially almonds, 
peanuts, Turkish hazelnuts, or filberts, pecans, 
and all nuts from which the outer shells and skins 
can be readily removed. A pound of nuts con- 
tains more blood-forming material than a pound 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 723 

and a half of beefsteak. Peas, beans, and len- 
tils are also splendid blood-formers, containing 
more than one-fourth their weight of blood-mak- 
ing material, and each pound equal in food value 
to three pounds of beef. 

Whole-wheat bread and gluten preparations of 
all sorts are also good blood-making foods. All 
foods which hinder digestion, and which give 
rise to fermentation or other disturbances, must 
be carefully avoided, as the acids formed by 
the souring of the food serve to lessen the al- 
kalinity of the blood, and thus to deteriorate its 
quality. This is not true of the acids found in 
fruits. 

These are food substances, and unless 
taken in very great excess are highly beneficial. 
Acid fruits encourage the action of the kidneys, 
and thus aid in the removal of the poisons, while 
they at the same time disinfect the stomach and 
intestines, and thus prevent the formation of 
poisons by fermentative and putrefactive pro- 
cesses. 

Fresh vegetables must not be overlooked. The 
valuable vitamines which they contain render the 
body the greatest service. Lettuce, celery, to- 
matoes, cucumbers, all fresh foods are most ex- 
cellent blood purifiers. 



724 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Fat Containing Foods 

Q. What foods contain the most fat? 

A. Butter is nearly all fat. Nuts contain a 
very large amount of fat, 40% to 60%. Cream 
is about 25% fat. 

The avocado or alligator pear contains twenty 
per cent fat, more than the ripe olive, which is 
also rich in fat. 

Laxative Properties of Foodstuffs 

Q. Why are some foods more laxative than 
others? 

A. The properties of foodstuffs which have 
a laxative influence may be briefly enumerated 
as follows: 

1. Qualities to which flavor or taste are due. 

2. Bulk, due to the presence of cellulose, 
which forms an indigestible residue. 

3. Moisture; that is, a necessary amount of 
liquid taken at meals or between meals, and espe- 
cially in connection with the indigestible cellu- 
lose capable of absorbing and holding moisture 
in the intestine. 

4. Chemical properties that result from the 
presence of sugars and organic acids in the food, 
including the sugars formed by the digestion of 
starch, and the lactic acids formed by the fer- 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 725 

mentation of sugar in the intestine. Fats are 
also somewhat laxative. 

5. Uncooked vegetable foods are laxative be- 
cause they furnish to the colon some undigested 
starch which feeds the friendly germs which in 
turn produce acids by which the colon is stimu- 
lated to action. 

Laxative Effects of Meals 

Q. Why do the bowels move more fre- 
quently after meals? 

A. Food is the natural laxative; for a healthy 
colon, a healthy alimentary canal, it is all the lax- 
ative that is required. Whenever food is taken 
into the stomach, peristaltic activity is immedi- 
ately set up, a peristaltic wave traveling from 
one end of the alimentary canal to the other. 

This explains why there is a natural desire 
for bowel movement directly after each meal — 
some of the movements that are set up are trans- 
mitted to the intestine and travel its entire 
length. 

Observations made by the x-ray show, 
for example, that during the hour of the eating 
of a meal, and immediately afterward, the ma- 
terial in the intestine moves forward more than 
it does in the five or six hours previous. 



726 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

How Long Does It Take Food to Digest 

Q. How long time is required for food to 
make the transit of the digestive tube? 

A. The normal time is probably 12 to 16 
hours. 

Normally, the food leaves the stomach in four 
hours. 

Most of the breakfast is still in the small 
intestine when dinner is eaten. The vigorous 
peristaltic waves set up by the dinner carry the 
breakfast over into the colon where it is slowly 
worked along toward the lower end. 

Supper gives the food procession another push 
which carries the dinner into the first part of 
the colon and ought to push the breakfast residue 
out by means of a bowel movement occurring 
after supper or before bedtime. 

The next morning the dinner residue should 
be dismissed before breakfast and the supper 
residue after breakfast or not later than after 
dinner. 

This is the writer's opinion of the normal ali- 
mentary cycle, but it is by no means always real- 
ized in actual experience. The colon of the 
average man is in the condition of a congested 
railway system. The right of way is choked 
and if bowel movements occur they are belated, 
two or three days in arrears. The residues of 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 727 

half a dozen or more meals are packed away in 
the colon undergoing putrefaction and poisoning 
the body. 

Oxalic Acid in Foods 

Q. Do the tomato and other common foods 
contain oxalic acids in injurious amounts? 

A. Tomatoes do not contain any considerable 
amount of oxalic acid, — less than one two-hun- 
dredth of one per cent; rhubarb contains one- 
fourth of one per cent or fifty times as much. 
That is, one pound of tomatoes contains one- 
third of one grain of oxalic acid while a pound 
of rhubarb contains seventeen grains of this 
poison. The acid of tomatoes is citric acid. 
Most vegetables contain a minute amount of ox- 
alic acid. The following list comprises those 
vegetables which contain this acid in any consid- 
erable quantity. 

Sorrel .0.274 to 0.363 per cent 

Spinach 0.191 to 0.317 " " 

Rhubarb 0.247 " " 

It should be remembered that by parboiling, 
the oxalic acid may be practically all removed 
as it is a very soluble substance. For this rea- 
son spinach and other foods which contain oxalic 
acid in considerable amount should always 



728 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

be parboiled in preparation for the table. Rhu- 
barb should be wholly excluded from the human 
bill of fare. 

Canned Foods 

Q. May the use of canned goods, such as 
corn, peas, fruit, etc., be harmful in any way? 
Should the water be poured off the peas and 
beans before they are used? 

A. Canned goods may contain a sufficient 
amount of tin to produce harmful effects. If the 
liquid portion of canned vegetables is thrown 
away considerable valuable nutrient material is 
lost, especially highly valuable salts. Only reli- 
able brands of canned goods should be used. 

Canned foodstuffs are also lacking in vitamines 
and on this account should never be made a staple 
article of diet. Vitamines are now known to be 
highly essential for good nutrition. Though 
present in foodstuffs in very small amounts, 
when destroyed by cooking or removed by mill- 
ing processes the result is development of such 
grave diseases as beri-beri, scurvy and possibly 
also pellagra. Ordinary cooking does not al- 
together destroy vitamines in vegetables, but the 
high temperature employed in the canning in- 
dustry easily destroys vitamines present in the 
foods. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 729 

Peptogenic Foods 

Q. What foods encourage the flow of gas- 
tric juice? 

A. Agreeable foods and those which stimulate 
the appetite cause the formation of highly active 
appetite juice. This is not, of course, a recom- 
mendation for condiments, such as mustard, pep- 
per, and other irritating substances; for while 
these possibly stimulate the flow of juice into 
the stomach, they at the same time create an ir- 
ritation which leads to gastric catarrh, and finally 
to destruction of the secreting glands. The for- 
mation of gastric acid is encouraged by concen- 
trated sweets, such as malt honey, raisins, prunes, 
and concentrated fruit juices. 

Food Acids 

Q. Do acids and starches disagree? 

A. Many people labor under the impression 
that acid fruits should not be eaten in connection 
with starchy foodstuffs. It is true that in cases 
of extreme hyperacidity fruit acids sometimes 
increase the amount of acid formed and in such 
cases the great excess of acid in the stomach 
may interfere with the digestion of starch in the 
stomach. In such cases, however, it is only 
necessary to take care to take starchy foods in 
the form of puree and to swallow with little or 



730 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

no mastication, adding at each meal one or two 
dessert spoonfuls of olive oil. By this means an 
excessive formation of gastric acid may be 
checked. 

Predigested Foods 

Q. Do predigested foods weaken the stom- 
ach? 

A. No. It should be added, however, that 
a certain proportion of the food each day at each 
meal should consist of foods in a natural state 
which have not been subjected to any artificial 
process. 

Foods of this kind contain vitamines and per- 
haps other important elements which are lacking 
in foods which have been processed. 

Least Putresoible Foods 

Q. What foods are least likely to undergo 
putrefaction in the intestine? 

A. Foods which are rich in starch do not 
putrefy either in the body or out of it for the 
reason that the abundance of starch encourages 
the growth of germs which produce acids and 
thereby prevent the development of germs which 
cause putrefaction. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 731 

Length of Life without Food 

Q. How long can a person live without 
food? 

A. Physiologists tell us that fifty days is the 
longest fast scientifically recorded and it is not 
regarded as probable that any human being can 
live more than fifty days without food. The 
length of time a person can fast depends pri- 
marily on the amount of fat and flesh possessed 
at the beginning. 

Flowers as Food 

Q. Are flowers ever used as food? 

A. While fruits unquestionably occupy the 
first place in the natural bill of fare for human 
beings, other parts of plants, including even 
flowers are also to be found in the great list of 
vegetable substances which may be made to con- 
tribute to human nutrition. A recent consular 
report from India tells of the use of the flowers 
of the mahua tree which are regularly used 
by more than a million people in the central 
provinces of India. 

"The cream-colored flowers appear from 
February to April and arrive at maturity about 
the end of March. Each morning about sunrise 
the succulent corrolla-tubes fall in great showers 



732 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

to the ground, which has been cleared to re- 
ceive them. The fall from a single tree con- 
tinues for from seven to ten days. The flowers 
are spread out in the sun to dry, their color 
changing to reddish brown, and their peculiar 
sweet odor becoming more apparent. Though 
eaten fresh to a considerable extent, the majority 
of the crop is dried and cooked with rice or 
other grains. Mahua is extremely sweet, and not 
easily digested by persons unaccustomed to eat- 
ing it. Sugar and molasses are made from it." 

Calories, or Food Units 

Q. What is a calory or a food unit? 

A. Foods, like all other organic substances, 
when burned, produce heat. The amount of heat 
produced by a given quantity of food differs ac- 
cording to the nature of the material and also 
according to the amount of water and other ele- 
ments incapable of producing heat which it may 
contain. When taken into the body, digested, as- 
similated, and used, foodstuffs produce the same 
amount of heat and other forms of energy as if 
burned outside of the body; hence the number 
of calories represented in a given foodstuff may 
be taken as a measure of its food value. 

Before a definite value can be placed upon any- 
thing there must be a standard or measure for 
it. When we buy dry goods, we buy them by 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 733 

the yard, the yard being the standard of measure 
for this kind of goods. When we buy milk, we 
buy it by the pint, another standard of meas- 
ure. Thus for all commodities or substances on 
which are to be placed definite values, there 
must also be definite standards of value. Ac- 
cordingly, if the quantities of heat produced by 
various foods are to be compared, there must 
be a definite measure for heat ; but since we can- 
not measure heat by length nor by weight, nor 
by any other of our common standards of meas- 
ure, it becomes necessary for us to measure it by 
what it can do. So the standard adopted is the 
amount of heat required to raise the temperature 
of one pound of water 4° F. This unit we call a 
calory. 

Food Portion 

Q. What is a food portion? 

A. The term food portion was devised by 
Prof. Irving Fisher of the Yale University and 
indicates such an amount of food as will furnish 
one hundred calories. 

The bulk of food required for a portion dif- 
fers greatly. 100 calories will be furnished by 
half an ounce of almonds, one of the most nour- 
ishing of foods, whereas 33 ounces or sixty-six 
times as much bouillon, more than a quart, is re- 
quired to furnish the same amount of actual nu- 
tritive material. Practically, 100 calories are fur- 



734 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

nished by one ounce of each of the following 
articles : 

Rice biscuit, shredded wheat biscuit, buns, corn 
cake, graham, oatmeal and whole wheat crackers, 
jelly, dates, figs, wheat flakes, honey, ripe olives, 
raisins, rice flakes, puffed rice, cheese sandwich, 
egg sandwich, fig sandwich, zwieback. 

Roughage in Foods 

Q. Why is roughage or bulky indigestible 
material necessary for health? 

A. Magnus-Levy states that herbivorous ani- 
mals, like the rabbit, die when fed on food which 
leaves no residue. Adult human beings are not 
so constructed that they can exist on a diet 
which leaves no residue, or even so little residue 
as pure milk does; it is only during their child- 
hood that they can live on nothing but milk for 
long periods. On residue-free diets the peri- 
stalsis is sluggish, and this causes disturbances 
that are only subjective at first but later cause 
objective upset of the digestion. The importance 
of these food residues is emphasized in the term 
"intestinal scourers" that has been given them. 
The carnivora, too, do not dispense with them 
willingly; just as they devour bones, so do the 
graminivorous birds swallow sand, feathers, and 
the like. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 735 

The dried fecal residue is 13 to 28 grams on 
an animal diet; 30 to 40 grams on a mixed diet 
or rice diet; and 74 to 115 grams on a free 
vegetable diet. 

Iron in Food 

Q. Is iron essential for the maintenance of 
life? 

A. The amount of iron found in the body is 
very small. It is estimated that the amount of 
iron in the entire body of a man of average size 
is about 46 grains. About one-sixth of a grain 
of iron is discharged from the body through the 
excretions daily. Hence, a constant supply is 
necessary. 

The iron which is found in the body is found 
exclusively in organic combination. The foods 
richest in iron are yolk of egg and green vege- 
tables, such as spinach, cabbage and fresh let- 
tuce. 

Chemical compounds of iron cannot be classed 
as foods. 

The following table shows the amount in 
pounds of each of the foods named which is re- 
quired to furnish the body with the average daily 
requirement of iron : — 



736 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 



Pounds 

Almonds 1.2 

Apples 8.0 

Asparagus 2.5 

Bananas 3.6 

Pearl barley 1.8 

Whole barley 6 

Beans, dried 3 

Lima beans, dried 3 

Lima beans, fresh 1.0 

String beans 1.6 

Beets 4.0 

Whole wheat bread 2.6 

White bread 1.6 

Egg white 24.4 

Egg yolk 3 

Figs, fresh 3.0 

Figs, dried 8 

Fish, cod 6.0 

Halibut 8.0 

Grape fruit 6.0 

Grapes 1.8 

Hazelnuts 6 

Honey 2.4 

Huckleberries 2.2 

Lemons 4.0 

Lentils 3 

Lettuce 2.4 

Meat, lean beef 6 

Milk, cow's... 10.0 

Muskmelons 8.0 

Oatmeal 7 

Olives 8 

Cabbage 2.0 

Carrots 3.0 

Celery 5.0 



Pounds 

Cherries 5.0 

Chestnuts 2.5 

Corn, sweet, dried 8 

Corn, sweet, fresh 3.0 

Cornmeal 2.0 

Cranberries 4.0 

Cream 12.0 

Currants 5.0 

Dandelion greens 9 

Dates 8 

Onions 5.0 

Oranges 8.0 

Peaches 8.0 

Peanuts 1.2 

Pears 8.0 

Peas dried 4 

Peas, fresh 1.6 

Pineapple 5.0 

Plums 5.0 

Potatoes 2.0 

Sweet potatoes 5.0 

Prunes, dried 8 

Radishes 4.0 

Raisins 5 

Rice 2.5 

Rye 6 

Spinach 7 

Squash 3.0 

Strawberries 2.7 

Tomatoes 6.0 

Turnips 5.0 

Walnuts 1.1 

Wheat, whole grain' 5 

Wheat flour 1.7 

Wheat bran 3 



Satisfying Food 

Q. What foods produce satiety? 

A. The sense of satiety, or satisfaction, ex- 
perienced after eating depends more upon the 
bulk taken than upon the quality of the food. 
However, it is noticeable that fats have a very 
decided influence in producing a sense of satiety. 



Digestion 

The Saliva 

Q. What is the action of the saliva upon 
foods eaten? 

A. The saliva is one of the most interesting 
of the several digestive fluids. It contains two 
ferments, one of which liquifies starch while the 
other converts starch into the form of sugar 
known as maltase. Maltase is also produced by 
the action of the diastase of malt upon starch. 
Human saliva always contains a certain amount 
of ferment although the amount differs at dif- 
ferent times of the day. The digestion of starch 
in the mouth begins immediately when the saliva 
comes in contact with it. The action of the 
saliva continues in the stomach for one to two 
hours after the food has been swallowed during 
which time the greater portion of the food mass 
remains in the distended left portion of the stom- 
ach. As food is taken into the stomach it is ar- 
ranged in layers, each additional portion enter- 
ing the center of the mass and so spreading it 
out and causing a thinning of the outer layers. 
This arrangement of food in concentric layers 
or strata facilitates digestion as it affords longer 
opportunity for the action of saliva, for that part 



738 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

of the food mass lying upon the outside comes 
in contact with the hydrochloric acid which neu- 
tralizes the saliva. After the food passes into 
the small intestine, however, the saliva is re- 
activated by contact with the bile and other in- 
testinal fluids so that the action of the salivary 
ferments is thus continued in the small intestine. 
One of the objections to the free use of fluids 
at meals is the fact that it interferes with the 
stratification of foods above described and thus 
lessens the efficiency of the salivary digestion. 
The observation of Pawlow may also be men- 
tioned in this connection. This physiologist ob- 
served that a considerable amount of fluid 
in the stomach had the effect to increase the 
amount of hydrochloric acid so the use of fluid 
at meals interferes with salivary digestion, both 
by preventing proper stratification and by stim- 
ulating the flow of gastric acid. 

The Saliva Protects the Teeth 

Q. Does the saliva protect the mouth from 
the action of germs? 

A. Bergman regards the saliva as the best 
remedy for disordered conditions of the mouth, 
it being much superior to any sort of gargle that 
can be employed. He undertakes to increase 
the flow of saliva by means of various chewing 
tablets. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 739 

In hyperhydrochloria, the production and 
swallowing of a large amount of saliva is 
said to achieve remarkably excellent results in 
a curative way. 

It is known that wounds in the mouth gener- 
elly heal quite readily. Clairmont of Vienna 
has shown that salivary secretion possesses val- 
uable properties as a cleansing agent, although 
it has no direct bactericidal action upon such 
pathogenic organisms as the bacilli of typhoid 
fever and tetanus, the colon bacillus or pus- 
producing organisms. A few bacteria were de- 
stroyed by contact with the saliva. Clairmont's 
observations led him to believe that the saliva 
maintains in the mouth conditions unfavorable 
for the growth of micro-organisms and that this 
protective influence may be increased by promot- 
ing the flow of saliva and thus washing away 
micro-organisms which might otherwise fix them- 
selves upon the teeth and gums and set up pro- 
cesses of decay or ulceration. 

Recent experiments by Rickert and others 
show that when the saliva becomes deficient in 
lime, decay of the teeth begins. This is especially 
seen in cases of pregnancy. The probable cause 
is a deficiency of lime in the food. 



740 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The Flow of Saliva 

Q. How is the amount of saliva production 
regulated? 

A. The amount of saliva formed depends 
upon the character of the food. Dry and highly 
flavored foods cause the salivary glands to pour 
out an abundance of saliva, whereas moist and 
liquid foods excite the activity of the salivary 
glands very slightly or not at all. 

To insure an abundant outflow of saliva, it 
is, then, highly important that food containing 
starch shall be eaten dry, and that it shall be 
thoroughly chewed, being retained in the mouth 
for a sufficient length of time to secure the se- 
cretion and the admixture of a sufficient amount 
of saliva to do the work required of this im- 
portant digestive fluid. If the mastication con- 
tinues long enough, some portion of the starch 
is converted into sugar while it is still in the 
mouth. 

Exercise and Digestion 

Q. Does violent exercise interfere with the 
digestion and the absorption of food? 

A. Experiments made many years ago seemed 
to show that vigorous exercise interferes seriously 
with digestion and absorption, but more recently 
conducted experiments made by Grandeau and 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 74 1 

Leclerc, Wolff, and S. Rosenberg, upon animals, 
show that the organic matter of the food is 
turned to just as good account during strenuous 
work as it is during complete and continuous 
repose. 

It may perhaps be otherwise when un- 
trained men suddenly take to violent physical ex- 
ercise, but even the most strenuous exertions do 
not impair the utilization of the food taken by 
persons who are in training. 

Food Absorption 

Q. Is food absorbed by the stomach? If 
not, in what part of the alimentary canal does 
absorption occur? 

A. Moritz showed that during seven hours 
only the minutest quantities of animal proteins 
were absorbed from the stomachs of dogs, and 
practically none of the proteins of milk. The 
principal duty of the stomach appears to be to 
act as a reservoir from which the food may be 
doled out to the intestine. Even liquids are ab- 
sorbed from the stomach only in small amounts. 
Absorption takes place chiefly from the small in- 
testine which absorbs between five and six quarts 
daily. 

The colon absorbs only a few ounces. 



742 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

The Digestion of Fat 

Q. Does the stomach digest fat? 

A. Modern researches in digestion have 
demonstrated that the stomach does only the pre- 
liminary work of digestion, leaving the principal 
part of the work to be done in the small intes- 
tine. The carbohydrates are quickly liquified 
in the stomach by the saliva, then allowed to pass 
out into the intestine. Protein is held back and 
doled out a little at a time as the intestine is 
able to deal with it. The same is true of fats. 
The experiments made by Pawlow's students 
serve to show that the closing of the pylorus, 
with the consequent cutting off of the flow of the 
fat to the intestine, follows the direct contact of 
fat with the mucous membrane of the small in- 
testine. 

Metabolism 

Q. What is metabolism? 

A. Metabolism is a general term applied to 
indicate the various forms of tissue change and 
chemical activity of the body. These changes 
consist chiefly in reparative processes by which 
the integrity of the body cells and tissues is 
maintained, and in the consumption of material 
in the production of heat to maintain the body 
temperature, and to supply the energy for body 
work. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 743 

Is the Stomach Essential to Life 

Q. Is it possible for a person to live with- 
out the stomach? 

A. The human stomach has been successfully 
removed in a few instances and the patient has 
survived in two cases for several years. In 
numerous cases so large a part of the stom- 
ach has been removed that the small remainder 
was wholly inactive as a digestive organ so it is 
known that life can be maintained without the 
stomach. It is important, however, to know that 
persons whose stomachs have been removed or 
whose stomachs are crippled by disease so that 
they no longer secrete hydrochloric acid can con- 
tinue in health only by careful regulation of the 
dietary. The stomach is the only organ which 
is able to digest connective tissue. This is ac- 
complished through the action of hydrochloric 
acid and pepsin. When the stomach ceases to 
make hydrochloric acid or in case the stomach 
is rendered inactive by a surgical operation, it 
is manifestly necessary that the patient should 
strictly abstain from the use of meats. If meat 
is taken under such conditions, connective tis- 
sue being undigested, collects in the colon where 
it undergoes decomposition, producing highly 
putrid stools and hence autointoxication in con- 
sequence. All persons who suffer from hypo- 
pepsia, that is, whose stomachs do not make hy- 



744 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

droehloric acid, should on this account carefully 
exclude flesh foods of all sorts from their di- 
etary. 

Sour Stomach 

Q. What is the cause of sour stomach? 

A. Too much acid formed in the stomach. 
It is not fermentation, but too much hydro- 
chloric acid. 

Colon Function 

Q. Does digestion take place in the colon? 

A. Modern physiologic research shows that 
the chief function of the colon is to receive 
waste and indigestible substances and remove 
them from the body. The first part of the colon 
is quite active in the absorption of water. Di- 
gestion and absorption of protein and fat are 
practically confined to the small intestine. Mag- 
nus-Levy states that the digestion and absorption 
of carbohydrates and other food principles is 
carried out completely in the small intestine. 

Sleep and Digestion 

Q. What is the effect of sleep, upon di- 
gestion? 

A. The influence of sleep upon digestion has 
been studied by Schule. Two healthy persons 
were given test meals. One was allowed to go 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 745 

to sleep directly after the meal, the 
other kept awake. By means of a stomach 
tube the contents of the stomach were with- 
drawn and examined. Next the experiment was 
reversed, as regards the two subjects, and re- 
peated many times. Schule found that the ef- 
fect of sleep during digestion is to increase the 
acidity of the gastric juice and to decrease the 
motility, or muscular activity of the stomach. 
The increased acidity of the gastric juice was 
believed by the investigator to be due to irri- 
tation resulting from the prolonged retention of 
the food in the stomach. Schule observed that 
resting in a horizontal position after eating en- 
couraged digestion without an increase of 
acidity, but it was necessary that the patient 
should remain awake, as otherwise the stomach, 
became less active than normally, food was too 
long retained in the stomach, an excess of acid 
was formed, and the stomach was irritated and 
thereby damaged. 

This interesting observation explains the fre- 
quency of catarrh of the stomach among those 
who eat hearty meals late at night. Eating the 
heartiest meal of the day at half-past six or 
seven o'clock, or even later, is unquestionably 
damaging to digestion, and a prolific cause of 
chronic gastritis and other digestive disorders. 
No food should be taken within three or four 
hours of retiring. This allows the stomach an 



746 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

opportunity to complete its work and empty its 
contents into the intestine. Sleep does not in- 
terfere with intestinal digestion. 

Chief Cause of Indigestion 

Q. What is the chief factor in disorders of 
digestion? 

A. The disturbed action of the digestive juice 
or of the movements (motility) of the stomach 
and intestines. 

Physicians formerly concerned themselves 
chiefly with the so-called chemical digestive work 
of the stomach and intestines. In recent years, 
however, methods of investigation have been de- 
vised by which it has been possible to make a 
very exact study of the movements of the stom- 
ach and intestines, or so-called motility of the 
alimentary tract. 

These studies, many of which have been con- 
ducted by Doctor Case of the X-ray Department 
of the Battle Creek Sanitarium, have shown that 
much more disease arises from disorders of mo- 
tility of the alimentary tract than from disturbed 
chemical action of digestion. 

There are several ways in which the chemical 
work of digestion may be done, that is, there are 
duplicate plants, but there is only one motility. 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 747 

Appetite Juice 

Q. What is appetite juice? 

A. By many varied experiments Pawlow 
demonstrated most conclusively that the stim- 
ulation of the gustatory nerve by contact with 
agreeable foodstuffs gave rise to an abundant se- 
cretion of highly active gastric juice while the 
food is still in the mouth. This action begins 
within five minutes after food first comes in con- 
tact with the gastric mucous membrane. Gastric 
juice produced in this way by contact by food- 
stuffs with the mouth surfaces is called by Paw- 
low, appetite juice, because it is produced only 
when the substances eaten are of agreeable flavor 
and when there is a relish for them. The effect 
is evidently brought about through certain nerve 
centers in the brain, by connection with which 
the gustatory nerves reflexly excite the gastric 
secretion. Pawlow and others have observed that 
fear, anger, disgust, stop the secretion instantly, 
while sight and smell of agreeable foodstuffs in 
the presence of hunger, as well as by actual con- 
tact of food with the mouth, may give rise to an 
abundant flow of appetite juice. 



748 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Digestibility of Raw Starch 

Q. Is raw starch digestible? 

A. The saliva acts upon raw starch very 
slowly. The action of saliva and the pancreatic 
juice upon cooked starch is very rapid. This 
is not the case, however, with raw starch. 

In the raw state starch granules are sur- 
rounded by an envelope of cellulose. The saliva 
penetrates this envelope very slowly, hence the 
action of the saliva upon raw starch is corres- 
pondingly slow. 

The pancreatic juice is somewhat more ener- 
getic in acting upon raw starch, but digests it 
slowly; consequently the digestibility of starch 
very largely depends upon the cooking. Imper- 
fectly cooked or imperfectly chewed starch foods 
may pass undigested into the feces (whole or 
broken rice, beans or oats). This may be true 
of improperly made bread. Some undigested 
and unabsorbed starch in the colon is an aid to 
bowel action and combats putrefaction in the 
colon. 

Glycogen 

Q. What is glycogen? 

A. Glycogen is animal starch. When starch, 
sugar and like substances are digested in the in- 
testine, they are after absorption taken to the liver 



A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 749 

where, to prevent the immediate entrance into the 
blood of a great excess of these materials which 
are chiefly useful for fuel, the sugar is trans- 
formed into a substance closely resembling in 
composition a vegetable product, starch. Glycogen 
like starch is insoluble. Hence, it may be stored in 
the liver in considerable quantities until needed 
for use. Glycogen is also stored in the muscles. 
The liver and the muscles are the two great de- 
positories of glycogen in the body, although 
every living cell contains a small amount of gly- 
cogen. When fuel is needed, the glycogen is 
again transformed into sugar, dextrose, which 
constitutes the fuel of the body. By the burn- 
ing of glycogen the body is kept warm. Mus- 
cular work is supported by the energy set free 
by the burning of sugar just as the work of a 
steam engine is performed through the energy 
obtained from coal. It is evident that glycogen 
is a highly important substance. When it be- 
comes exhausted the bodily forces fail. The 
heart consumes glycogen with every beat. With- 
out glycogen the heart could not beat and no 
muscle in the body could contract. According to 
Schoendorff, the body contains about four per 
cent of glycogen. The natural source of glyco- 
gen is starch or sugar. It is on this account 
that our natural foodstuffs contain so large a 
proportion of these substances. 

When no starch or sugar are eaten, the body 



750 A THOUSAND QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

makes glycogen by splitting the protein molecule. 
By this means, about half the weight of protein 
may be converted into glycogen. The other half 
of the protein is converted first into ammonia 
then into urea. The fuel value of protein is then 
only half its face value, and the body is taxed in 
the disposal of the large amount of poisonous 
waste. It is evident, then, that protein is a very 
poor fuel. 



Index 



Abdominal bandage, the 444 

Abdominal tension 281 

Acetone, cause of 163 

Acidosis, nature of 162 

Achylia, nature of 354 

remedy for 355 

Adenoids 348 

Age 497 

Air, density of 156 

Air swallowing, habit of 164 

Animal heat, source of 206 

Animation, suspended 154 

Appendicitis, operation for 306 

recurring 307 

Appendix, purpose of 306 

Appetite, abnormal 358 

Apoplexy, cause of 236 

Arteriosclerosis 237 

early signs of 239 

cause of 240 

Artificial feeding schedule 11 

Artificial light 16 

Eye disease 161 

Artificial respiration 159 

Asthma, cause of 160 

Aspirin . . 219 

Autointoxication, intestinal 313 

Banana ' 606 

Bath, cold 423, 431 

hot bath, general 453 

hot blanket pack 453 

foot 453 

revulsive sitz 453 

hot hip and leg pack with ice bag 454 

ice bag fomentation 454 

enema 447, 454 



752 INDEX 

taking cold after cold bath 402 

sun bath 432 

indication for sun bath 433 

warm bath for colds 433 

protection of ears 434 

hot bath weakening. 434 

hot bath after exercise 435 

brand bath 436 

continuous 442 

precaution in cold bath 413 

hot bath 415, 453 

temperatures 417 

daily bath 417 

rules for 418 

cold air bath 418 

cold water shampoo 420 

morning cold bath 423 

cold mitten friction 424 

sponging 450 

insane 120 

salt water 437 

neutral 437 

hot foot 437 

exercise, or rowing 438 

effervescent 440 

sitz bath in pregnancy 441, 453 

hot sitz 441 

revulsive 441, 453 

cold, for children 24 

Bed wetting 31 

Beverages — 

cocoa . . . ^ 664 

soda fountain drinks 665 

water in dropsy 666 

grape fruit 666 

fruit juice 667 

unfermented grape juice 667 

tea — coffee — beer 668 

water at meals 669 

water drinking washes the blood 670 

daily allowance . . , 671 

distilled 671 

when to drink 672 



INDEX 753 

hot and cold 672 

cold water at meals 672 

water for sedentary persons 673 

juices of dried fruits 674 

coffee and fatigue '. 674 

coffee poisons 675 

caffein as medicine 675 

chocolate 676 

when to drink hot or cold 678 

caffein as a poison 677 

caffein a poison 678 

cider 679 

beer 679 

Bile 339, 341, 342 

Birth rate 499 

Bismuth meal 271 

Black heads 66 

Blood- 
poor circulation 226 

fruits and 227 

normal blood count 227 

cells 226, 232 

pressure of 228 

climate for 229 

pressure reducing drugs 230 

fainting , 231 

sugar in 230 

thick 231 

Blushing, cause of 236 

Body, consumption, in starvation 152 

cells, reproduction of 153 

weights 510 

temperature 512 

how heat is regulated 512 

Bone, grafting of 146 

Boils, cause of 63 

treatment 64 

Bowel disorders — 

tight spincter 289 

fat fermentation 290 

ferment of intestinal juice 290 



754 INDEX 



chronic toxemia . 291 

extent of intestinal putrefaction i . . .292 

ulcer of the duodenum 281 

ulceration of rectum. 281 

rectal dilators 272 

dilatation of Colon 272 

rhythm 266, 268 

pain in 210 

mucus stools 274 

function of small intestine 274 

flora of intestine 292 

gas 276 

bad breath .- 277 

coated tongue 277 

anti-toxin glands 278 

flatulence : 280 

prolapsed colon 281 

laxatives 266 

intestinal gas 267 

soreness inside .268 

in summer 268 

hemorrhage of 270 

bismuth meal 271 

Breast, hardening of 133, 159 

Bronchitis 165 

Bruises 68 

Brain workers, longevity of 498 

Burns, treatment of 166 

Cancer, nature of 137 

curability 138 

increasing 138 

less in vegetarians 139 

how to prevent 140 

of stomach 141 

Car sickness, prevention of 169 

Cascara 223 

Castor oil 221 

Catarrh, adenoids 380 

in the head 379 

talking through nose 380 

buzzing or ringing in ears 382 



INDEX 755 

nose discharge 382 

mucus in nose and throat 383 

cause of deafness 383 

nasal douche 383 

intestinal catarrh 269, 299 

Catarrh — 

nasal discharge 384 

catarrh is contagious 385 

best climate for 386 

dry catarrh 386 

Centipede, bite of 147 

Charcoal, in toxic conditions 252 

Chairs, construction of 490 

Chest, a full 488 

normal breathing 488 

pain in the 455 

Cheese — 

cottage 711 

yoghourt 711 

poisoning by 712 

Chilblains, best remedy for 43 

Chills, malarial 188 

Children, how much should a child eat 18 

diet for child of two years 19 

shall children eat meat 21 

cold baths for 24 

effects of parents' ill health 29 

hiccough in 30 

left-handedness in 30 

bed wetting in 31 

worms in 33 

nervousness in 34 

neurasthenia in 35 

cleft palate 36 

chicken pox 37 

school age of 38 

increasing height in 37 

colic 38 

enlarged neck glands 39 

fruit for 16 

Cigarettes, evils of 475 

cubeb .' 476 

smoking 476 



756 INDEX 

tobacco smoke 478 

snuff 478 

Circulation and diaphragm 235 

Cleft palate '. 36 

Clergyman's sore throat, cause of 360 

Clothing, disinfection of 531 

next skin 479 

corsets .479 

soft collars 480 

high heeled shoes 480 

| men's 481 

Cod liver oil - 222 

Colic 299 

Cold feet, cause of 44 

Colds, remedy for 389 

in head 390 

Cold baths for children 24 

Colitis . . . 298 

Colon, pain. 301 

short circuiting the 309 

absorption by the 301 

examination of the 302 

greedy 303 

Complexion, dingy 49 

Constipation, causes of 284 

flesh eating and 285 

hyperacidity and 287 

colds and 288 

incompetency of the ileocecal valve 288 

Cramped legs 143 

Creaking joints, cause of 144 

Coryza — acute nasal catarrh 388 

Decay of the teeth, how to combat 403 

Diabetes, cause of 170 

curability 170 

diet schedule 171 

Diaphragm, circulation of 235 

Diarrhea 283 

Diathermy, nature of 410 

Dietetics — 

oatmeal in diabetes 532 



INDEX 757 

meat diet in tuberculosis 532 

meat broths and typhoid fever 533 

a egetable diet and uric acid 534 

diet in cases of kidney and bladder 534 

diet for hyperacidity 535 

grape cure 536 

fruit cure 537 

diet during pregnancy 538 

in Bright's disease 539 

in fever 540 

antitoxic diet 542 

antitoxic dietary, No. 1 542 

antitoxic dietary, No. 2 543 

articles which must be avoided 543 

effects of meat diet 544 

acidosis and Bulgarian bacillus 551 

bran 551 

corn bread 551 

chocolate drinking 552 

diet for dry skin 552 

fine flour bread and appendicitis 553 

constipating foods 553 

diet for the sedentary 546 

in cancer 547 

meatless 549 

sugar an irritant 550 

excess of starch 550 

foods which lessen gastric acid 554 

diabetic foods 554 

diet in anemia 556 

diet in catarrh 557 

meat diet not necessary 558 

corn bread in rheumatism 559 

tortillas 559 

balanced diet 560 

table for men 560 

table for women 561 

daily ration 563 

diet for brain workers 

newly discovered vitamines 

foods which prevent beri-beri 

foods which prevent scurvy 566 

mould 567 



758 INDEX 

sense of taste 568 

ptomaines 570 

mixed starches 571 

potatoes 571 

digestive enzyme of pineapple juice 572 

food absorption 572 

uric acid in foods 574 

laughing aid to digestion 575 

amino acids 576 

effect of starvation on body cells 577 

fasting 577 

abnormal appetite 579 

appetite and instinct 580 

mood affects appetite 581 

flesh building 208 

working ability 720 

colon needs starch 721 

brain food 722 

blood making foods 722 

fat containing foods 724 

laxative properties of foodstuffs 724 

laxative effect of meals 725 

how long to digest food 726 

for child of two years 19 

for nursing mother 23 

for teething child 16 

Digestion, disorders of 349 

gastric acid 349 

rest and disinfection of stomach 350 

bile in the stomach 351 

ulcers in 351 

sleep and 744 

cause of indigestion 746 

appetite juice 747 

digestibility of raw starch 748 

glycogen 749 

saliva 736 

does saliva protect teeth 738 

flow of saliva 740 

exercise and 740 

food absorption 741 

digestion of fat 742 

metabolism — — 742 



INDEX 759 

Disinfection of sick room 408 

Diphtheria, carriers 213 

Disease, the mind and 112 

Dropsy, water drinking in 214 

Dry mouth, cause of 172 

white patches in 172 

foul breath 173 

Dust 518 

Eggs, protein content 707 

in toxemia 710 

Enema 447 

for dry stools 275 

Enlarged neck glands 39 

Energy, intake 507 

amount of 507 

expended in mental work 508 

capacity of the body 506 

Epilepsy, cause of 157 

Electricity, muscular 199 

Electric shock, resuscitation after 185 

Electrocardiograph 412 

Eugenics registry 501 

Exercise, walking 483 

stair climbing 484 

exercise on all fours 484 

breathing 485 

swimming 487 

Eyes, lotion for 162 

Face, fattening 147 

flushed 96 

Fatigue, what is 89 

poisons 90 

neurasthenic 90 

heat and 94 

neuritis 94 

neurasthenia, inheritability 100 

headache, cause of 101 

Feces — 

normal weight of 303 

normal color of 304 

examination of 304 



760 INDEX 

Feeding of infants 11 

schedule 11 

bottle 13 

lime water 14 

Feeding of children — 

fruit for 16 

Feet— ^ 

best means for preventing soreness of 40 

flat foot 40 

corns or callouses on 41 

care of feet in winter 42 

hot feet 42 

sweating feet 43 

bunions — best treatment for 45 

weak ankle, best treatment for 46 

ingrowing toenails 46 

cold 44 

chilblains 43 

Fever — 

cause of 176 

diet in 176 

Fish 694 

Finger joints — 

enlarged, cause "of 173 

numb 174 

Flat foot 41 

Flesh building diet 208 

Fomentation 426 

how applied 426 

duration 427 

reaction after 429 

precaution necessary 430 

how relieves pain 430 

Food supply, the world's future 582 

Food and food values — 

biologic living 587 

fletcherism 589 

chilli 590 

condiments 591 

phosphates 592 

pickles 592 

Benjamin Franklin, diet reformer 593 

sulphuric acid in fruit 594 



INDEX 761 

danger of famine 584, 585 

baking powder 594 

no-breakfast plan 595 

diet in cold countries 595 

faintness before eating 596 

position after eating 596 

benzoate of soda 597 

flax seed 598 

fruit diet 598 

meal plans 598 

yoghourt 601 

protein in muscular activity 601 

orange pulp 602 

salad dressing 602 

salads with milk 603 

beeswax 603 

vinegar 604 

glucose 605 

wholesomeness of bananas 606 

fruit acids 607 

exclusive fruit diet 608 

germ of fruit skins 609 

seeds of fruits 609,610 

fruit supper 611 

salt 617 

vegetable diet 618 

potatoes 619 

iron and tomatoes 620 

onions 621 

sauer-kraut 621 

fruit and vegetable skins 622 

poisons of vegetable origin 622 

raw vegetables 623 

asparagus 623 

horse radish 624 

celery and lettuce 624 

rhubarb — tomatoes — spinach 624 

soy bean 626 

potato skins and sprouts 626 

roasted peanuts 627 

why cook peanuts 627 

sugar 628 

honey 631 



762 INDEX 

sugar and athletics 632 

beet sugar 633, 634 

cane sugar 633 

sorghum 634 

malt sugar and cane 637 

fats 638 

utilization of fats 639 

food absorption 293 

bananas 606 

cottonseed oil 640 

sterilized cream 640 

sterilized butter 640 

butter 641 

malted nuts 641 

food value nuts 642 

digestibility of nuts 643 

peanut oil 643 

olive oil fattening 644 

nut oils 644 

cotton seed oil 645 

olive oil— not laxative 646 

fat and biliousness , 646 

tropical fats 647 

fat ration 647 

brose 647 

rice 648, 649, 650, 651 

wild rice 651 

corn-meal pancakes 65 1 

wheat 652 

rye bread 652 

bread without yeast 653 

white bread 653 

whole wheat 654 

mushes 655 

barley — toasted bread 656 

home prepared bran 657 

bran 658, 660, 661 

use of bran 662 

popcorn 663 

cereal diet 663 

when to vary infant's diet 182 

gain in weight 506 

measurement by calories 732 



INDEX 763 

portion 733 

roughage 734 

iron in 735 

table 736 

satisfying 736 

oxalic acid in 727 

canned 728 

peptogenic 729 

acids 729 

predigested 730 

least putrescible 730 

length of life without 731 

flowers as 731 

Foreign bodies swallowed 175 

Frostbites, best treatment for 43 

Flushed face — 

cause of 96 

remedy for 96 

Fruit — 

laxatives and laxative drugs 611 

lemon juice 612 

prunes 612 

grape fruit 613 

food value of 613 

sterilizing uncooked fruits 614 

dietetic value of acid 614 

canned fruits without sugar 616 

raisins for constipation 616 

canned fruits 616 

green fruit 617 

for children 16 

Gall stones, cause of 345 

treatment for 346 

Gastroenterostomy 353 

Gastric juice, how produced 361 

Gastric examination 362 

Goiter, cause of 178 

Gout, best diet for 178 

Gum chewing habit 142 

Hands, chapped — cause of 48 

Hard water 215 



764 INDEX 

Hay fever, cause of 179 

remedy for 179 

prevention of 181 

Headache — 

nervous 101 

migraine 101 

bilious 101 

Health, traveling for * 144 

Heat, effects of 144 

Heating compress 424 

Heart failure — 

symptoms of 242 

blue lips 244 

athletic heart 245 

work of heart 246 

Heart disease, increase of i 240 

organic 241 

cause of 241 

Hernia 208 

Hemorrhoids, remedy for 296 

internal 297 

Hemorrhage — how controlled 247 

Hodgkin's disease — nature and symptoms of 182 

Hot baths 387 

House pets 149 

Hookworm 184 

Hiccough 31, 183 

High frequency current 412 

Hip disease — proper treatment 38 

Hydrochloric acid, functions of 357 

Hydrotherapy 420 

Hygiene, furnace heat 523 

house fly, the 523 

dangerous fly, the 523 

mosquitos 523 

indoor life 526 

dust 518 

ventilation 519 

window tent 520 

air moisture 520 

fireplace ventilation 522 

gas heating 522 



INDEX 765 

Hyperacidity — causes and symptoms of 363 

diet for 364 

Ice bag 425 

Ileocecal valve, repair of incompetent 308 

Inbreeding 502 

Infants — 

feeding of 11 

feeding schedule 11 

bottle feed 13 

lime water 14 

artificial feeding 11 

stool 14 

weaning 18 

when to vary food 18 

first _ food 19 

vomiting in 22 

pacifier for 25 

in hot weather 27 

thumb sucking 27 

outdoor sleeping for 26 

earache in 33 

eczema in % 

rash — cause of 67 

Infected wound 407 

Instincts 145 

Intestinal bacteria — how produce disease 316 

Intestinal gas 267 

Intestine — 

food absorption 30 1 

putrefaction in starvation 294 

catarrh of 299 

Intestinal flora, what is meant by 292 

Insanity, increase in 497 

Insomnia 74, 77, 78 

Insane, baths for 120 

Intra-abdominal tension 311 

Jaundice — 

cause of 344 

diet in 345 

Jews' health 499 

Joints, creaking 170 



766 INDEX 

Kidney disorders 323 

uric acid 324 

renal efficiency 325 

removal of a kidney 326 

floating kidney 328 

meat in 328 

Kidneys, senile 329 

Lanolin cream 48 

Laryngitis, chronic 394 

is it curable 394 

sore throat, remedy for , 394 

Laxatives, how to avoid 266 

Legs, cramped 169 

Life in detached tissues 155 

Lithia water 214 

Lightning stroke, what to do in case of 185 

Liver, function of 333 

test for liver diseases 334 

destruction of poisons by the 335 

defensive action of the 336 

torpid liver 338 

biliousness 338 

bile, the 339 

catarrh of 342 

cirrhosis of the 342 

and hyperacidity 342 

spots 343 

Locomotor ataxia — 

cause of 121 

remedy for 122 

Longevity of brain workers 498 

Loss of voice 391 

Lung capacity 509 

Lupus 53 

Lymph glands, enlarged 187 

Malarial chills 188 

Massage or osteopathy — how differ 380 

Measurements of body 504 

proportions of ideal man 504 

proportions of ideal woman 504 



INDEX 767 

Meat- 
do laborers require 684 

poultry 686 

is meat fattening 686 

diet in cold climates 687 

excessive meat diet 688 

Japanese diet 689 

endurance of Japanese 690 

beef tea 692 

bouillon soup 680 

poisons of animal tissues 692 

substitute for meat and eggs 695 

is man carnivorous 671 

is animal flesh necessary 682 

effect of meat on kidneys 682 

poisoning by meat 695 

germs in 697 

cold storage 697 

oyster juice 698 

shall children eat 21 

Mechanotherapy 410 

Medicine chest 414 

Men and women, comparative strength of 505 

Migraine, treatment of 104 

Milk, lime water in 14 

buttermilk with fruits 702 

germs 702 

goats 704 

raw 704 

poisoning 705 

viscid 706 

diet 707 

buddized 707 

cows' 700 

human 700 

fruit with 701 

buttermilk 702 

creamery buttermilk 702 

sour 701 

lime water in 14 

Mineral waters — why harmful 216 

Mineral elements of plants 148 

Mind blindness, what is meant by 122 



768 INDEX 

Mouth breathing, correction of 164, 189 

Morning depression, what is good for 123 

Mothers— mark 30 

Muscle tone • 124 

Muscular co-ordination 125 

Nerves — 

in children 34 

sympathetic 86 

neuron 86 

nerve energy 87 

hot flashes ; 96 

neurasthenic gait 97 

is neurasthenia a disease. . . ; 97 

neurasthenia, cause of 98 

sedentary persons, neurasthenia of 99 

tic doloureux, treatment of 546 

prickling sensation, cause of '. 109 

shingles, herpes zoster 109 

sciatica, treatment of Ill 

exhaustion — worry — cause of 114 

mental healing ' 114 

worry, how to cure 115 

night noise 1 16 

fear 117 

prolapsed stomach and bowels 118 

narcotic habit, treatment of 119 

Neuralgia 106 

Neuritis 95 

Neurasthenia — 

can one inherit 100 

in children 35 

tea and coffee 127 

Normal waist proportion 505 

Nursing mother, diet for 23 

Obesity — 

when is a person obese 250 

cause of 250 

is it curable 254 

dangers ■. 256 

reducing fat abdomen 260 

buttermilk cure for 261 

fasting to relieve 261 



INDEX 769 

fruit regimen for 262 

obesity pills — anti-fat remedies 264 

massage — not efficient remedy for 265 

Oiling the skin 95 

Old age 502 

Opium habit, the 222 

Organic lime and dental decay 402 

Osteopathy 204 

Outdoor sleeping for a baby 26 

Oxygen 489 

Ozone 156 

Pacifier, the 25 

Pain- 
absolute rest 433 

position of limbs 433 

in the chest 455 

sprains 456 

pelvic 456 

below shoulderblades 457 

relieving — drugs 457 

cold rubbing 451 

ice bag or ice compress 451 

heating compress 451 

fomentations followed by heating compress 452 

cotton poultice 452 

clay poultice 452 

radiant heat 449 

flame 450 

arc light 450 

sunlight 450 

hot air 450 

alternate compress 450 

alternate sponging 450 

relief of 449 

Pancreas, function of 360 

juice of 361 

Parents' ill health — effect on children 29 

Patent medicines 222 

Pellagra and a meat diet 194 

Pelvic pain 456 

Peristalsis 361 



770 INDEX 

Perspiration, excessive 522 

Phototherapy . .413 

Physical superiority of savages 497 

Plants, mineral elements of 441 

Pneumonia, how to prevent 192 

Position, correct standing 489 

Prostate gland — enlargement and cause of 195 

Protoplasm 143 

Prolapsed stomach and bowels 118 

Protein ration 713 

sources of protein 715 

does protein develop muscular strength 715 

safety of low protein diet. . , 716 

summer diet 717 

composition of food 717, 718, 719, 720 

Public health — is sickness increasing 498 

Pulmotor, the 190 

Pure oxygen 489 

Pyorrhea 399 

Quinine 197 

Race statistics — increase of insanity 497 

Race vitality 500 

Radium, what is 409 

Rational remedies 405 

sulphur 405 

salt glow 405 

massage 406, 409 

osteopathy 409 

Rectal pain — 

what will relieve 295 

painful defecation 295 

Rheumatism, cause of 129 

stiff joints 131 

acute 132 

Rigor mortis 149 

Round shoulders — best method of correction 200 

Savages, physical superiority of 497 

Sciatica Ill 

Seasickness — cause of — how to avoid 201 



INDEX 771 

Sedentary persons — need of water 606 

Shivering, cause of 247 

Sitting 491 

Skin — 

heat rash, cause of 68 

bruise, treatment for 68 

pigmentation, cause of 62 

freckles, to remove 62 

senile 56 

brown patches on 56 

pimples 57 

prickly heat 58 

salt rheum — eczema 59 

spots under 60 

ringworm, cause of 60 

ridges and white spots on nails 60 

"winter itch" 61 

ulcers 66 

black heads 66 

beri-beri 67 

lupus 53 

men's growth of 53 

removal of wens 54 

warts 54 

leucoderma — Peibald skin 54 

enlarged pores 55 

dry skin 47 

lanolin cream 48 

dingy complexion 49 

sensitive skin 51 

oily skin 51 

excessive perspiration 52 

Sleep, disturbed 82 

proper position in 82 

sleeping after meals 83 

after dinner naps 84 

dreams 85 

hours required 71 

drowsiness 72 

morning drowsiness 73 

insomnia 73, 74, 77 

food at bedtime 75 



772 INDEX 

wakefulness 76 

sleep-walking, cause of 78 

nightmare, cause of 79 

sleeping with mouth open 79 

Sleeping in open air 80 

best arrangements for 80 

Sprains 456 

Smoke 151 

Snake bite, remedy for 202 

Sore throat, clergyman's ; . , 392 

Soreness in side 268 

Sore feet 40 

Spinal curvature and venereal disease 492 

Sprue 181 

Suspended animation 154 

Starvation — body — consumption 152 

putrefaction in 294 

Stimulants and narcotics 458 

how dangerous are tea and coffee 458 

alcohol, effects of 459 

alcohol and digestion 461 

shock — fainting 462 

alcohol effects 463 

alcohol and disease 464 

influence of alcohol upon longevity 465 

alcohol not a stimulant 466 

alcohol and digestive ferments 466 

alcohol, curative agent 467 

Standing position, correct <. 489 

Static muscular work 508 

Stomach, is it essential to life 743 

sour 744 

warmer 224 

foreign bodies swallowed 149 

function of hydrochloric acid 327 

movements of the 364 

pain in 368 

regurgitation of food 368 

best means of relieving heaviness 358 

abnormal appetite 358 

use of stomach tube 359 

hypopepsia 359 



INDEX 773 

sour stomach 744 

heaviness of the 358 

Strength of men and women 514 

Strychnia 220 

Sty — eye strain, cause of 202 

Tapeworm — 

symptom of 320 

origin of 321 

Tea tasters' disorder, symptoms of 126 

Teeth 396 

dentifrice 396 

decay, significance of 396 

care of 397 

bridge work 398 

wisdom teeth 399 

do sweets injure teeth 399 

Rigg's disease 399 

of East Indians 401 

pyorrhea 399 

Teething — 

diet in 16 

digestive 17 

Tent, sleeping in 82 

Thyroid gland — as a remedy — functions of stimula- 
tion of 370, 371 

Thirst cure 206 

Tic doloureux 108 

Tobacco 468 

hereditary effects of 469 

general effects of 470 

cure for 471 

effects upon the heart 471 

effects upon blood pressure 472 

nicotine and nerves 472 

tobacco habit 473 

poison 474 

smoking and eyesight 474 

chewing 475 

athletes and 473 

Tonics 220 



774 INDEX 

Tonsils — of what use 392 

inflamed, and rheumatism 394 

Toxemia, laxatives in 312 

Thyroid gland 370 

as a remedy 370 

measures for stimulating the 371 

functions of 371 

Trichina — symptoms of infection 319 

Tuberculosis 372 

rules for patients 372 

bovine tuberculosis 373 

curability of 375 

early diagnosis 376 

symptoms of 377 

hydrotherapy in 422 

Twins 150 

Typhoid fever — 

will water drinking cure 209 

typhoid carrier 210 

precautions against 212 

vaccination against 212 

Typhus fever, cause of 180 

Urine — 

ammonia in the 331 

albumin in the 331 

painful urination 332 

Ulcers 351 

Urobilin, what is . 329 

Varicocele — curable by operation 214 

Veronal 221 

Vertigo, cause of 233 

Vibration 445 

Vital capacity 509 

Violet rays 202 

Vaccination 531 

Voice, loss of 391 

Waist, normal 505 

Walking posture 493, 495 



INDEX . 775 

Warts and moles, how removed 55 

Wasserman test, nature of 217 

Water, artesian 527 

softening 528 

typhoid germs in 528 

alkali in 529 

testing 529 

sterilization 530 

rain water 530 

Weaning, at what age 18 

Wens 53 

Whooping cough, cause of 34 

Worms — in children 33 

cause and remedy 317 

Yawning, cause of 145 



7 

Af- 




